RIP Exs
by D the Knight
Summary: While playing Saints Row do you ever wonder "What happened to that sell-out, Dexter 'Dex' Jackson?" Well after being shot by Gat on a rooftop and the Saints-Ultor group dropped him, he's been in hiding. But he's far from done, revenge is a dish best served at war. And every war needs soldiers, who cares if they're all from losing sides? AU based from Shadow182angel's SR stories.
1. Intro Sinners

**Normally I'd put an A/N here but I don't know what to say. This is based on the Third Street Saints of Shadow182angel's SR fics. So welcome to my FF about an FF. Takes place after SR:TT but before Forever a Saint.**

* * *

**R.I.P. Exs**  
Chapter 1: Introducing, The Sinners

_Fuckin' Dex!_

~2 days later...~

_Fuckin' Dex!_

~A week later...~

_FUCKIN' DEX!_ I screamed in my head because once again he sent me on a job that I had to admit was out of my league. "Hey, there he is!" An Ultor guard shouted alerting the others. When they began firing their AR-50 XMACs I quickly rolled away from the pillar I was using as cover. "Freeze or we'll shoot!"

"You're already fuckin' shooting!" I yelled tossing my one grenade at them. _If it doesn't hit then use it as cover-fire._ I advised myself getting into a running position. Unfortunately I never found out whether it hit or not because at the same time a flashbang popped deafening and blinding me. Before I could move I felt an arm over red on black hoodie, after trying to resist I suddenly stop after the sound zones back into my ear.

"Damian come with me, I've got us a better job." Dex said while 'rescuing' me. After shoving me into his new Eiswolf our driver started to accelerate.

"You lost again, how many times have me and the boss had to pick your dumbass up." The ex-brotherhood member said provoking me into an argument.

"Oh that means so much to me coming from Dex's butler." I sarcastically respond. "Connor, you pick up his dry-cleaning and drive for him. That's not very gangsta ya know, I bet you'd even wipe his a-"

"Damian. We have business to discus." Dex said adjusting his earpiece. "This wasn't exactly done the way I would've liked. I could never get over how much he changed since his gang days. After he sold out and became a member of the Ultor corporation he change a lot, or so I've heard. I didn't really know Dex until it became the Saints-Ultor corporation and he quit and hid (taking his money with him) before he got killed.

Worst part is he didn't even tell me all that I had to find out when some guys in purple came after me for being seen with him. Luckily I was still a part of Knightmare back then so they didn't kill me, they would've had to explain to their boss how they started another gang war. But now that I'm a mercenary I don't have that same protection."So D, this job is as easy as they come." Dex began and all I could think was _as usual..._ "All I need you to do is take care of one guy, a planet saints cashier."

"That's it?" I asked skeptically. "...Well it doesn't really matter, I'm done with this Dex."

"Done?" Connor repeated. "You aint done with shit. After your boss dropped you who the fuck's been takin' care of you?"

"Me! Dex, man I appreciate you givin' me a chance but you send me on all these suicide runs." I stated it my defense. "Just now you sent me to take out a 'few' masako that were lookin' for you, there were tons of them and all I had was one TEK Z-10." I said emphasizing by holding up one finger.

"What happened to the Vice-9 Aoi gave you. Or is the Ronin queen not feelin' you anymore?"

"Connor." Dex interrupted before he could push me any further.

"Sorry Boss."

"Damian, I'm talkin' over a hundred grand." I almost sprayed my drink from my mouth but caught myself trying to look professional. "I thought so. Connor stop in Ashwood, Steelport.

~3 hours later~

'Welcome to the City of Steelport.' The city where good people come to be bad and bad people come to get worse.  
After about an hour of driving we finally made it to the black market Capitol, it wasn't even midnight and there are more hos than I could count. This place was a legend to me, the gangs were so awesomely out of control that they sent in an army tougher than the Masako. _It's not like its much worse than my town, or even Stillwater._ I thought looking towards the Magarac island. They whooped Conner and Aoi's gangs. Then they made STAG look like just a bunch of armed war fanatics. _Makes me wonder why Dex would drop his fl-_ "Hold up, we're pickin' up a friend first." Dex stated then seeing the confused look on my face he passed me a black business card with blue ink and a matching skull on the back. Taking the card it read: 'G4ng 34t3r- Discrete Hacking, for a Price.' "This is his house." As Dex opened his door a person wearing blue and black clothing quickly ran forward and stopped it from opening completely. Due to trained reflexes Connor and I both draw guns and focus aim to the window.

"Oi, hold on. The Los Jackson I take it?" The mysterious person asked. The voice seems younger than me (and I'm only twenty-two) with a british accent.

"Yeah, get in." Dex ordered _The Los Jackson? Worse alias I've ever heard._ Following Dex's orders he walked around the car to the back seat opening the door he took his seat near me allowing me to examine his odd clothes. As Connor started to drive I noticed every flashy aspect of the suit. A black zip up hood with a blue trim that was literally glowing, with a cartoonish skull that matched the card wired in, and matching pants. If that wasn't bad enough, he had on more makeup than a teenage girl. I chuckled a bit though it was unintentional, but the outfit was too strange.

"Problem mate?" He questioned in response to my laugh.

"Nah." _I was just wondering if you bought that a Nobody Loves Me or an Apple store.  
_  
"Connor, Damian this is our new friend G4ng 34ter (gang eater). He's an ex-Decker and he'll be assisting us with our next project."

"So Dex, you do know 'The' and 'Los'-"

"Mean the same thing?" Dex said completing the sentence. "Yeah, it's a long story."

"Right..." G.E. dismissively sighed. "So we're all Exs, right. Ex-Knight, Ex-Brotherhood and Ex-Saint." He said looking at Dex for confirmation. "I did some research. One of Julius' lieutenants right?"

"Correct, but you're forgetting our girl Aoi, Ex-Ronin." Dex informed although I'd prefer we had some secretes left. "She'll be up here in a few days."

"A few days?" I thought it was just a cashier."

"Relax D, this ones going to different, smooth." He explained. "I'm just setting up a new operation, for after we're done."

"Whatever man, I don't want any part of it." I whispered before drifting into sleep.

By the time I woke up we were at a hotel near some nuclear reactor, which when half asleep seemed pretty disturbing. It lit the starless sky in purple marking even the air above as Third Street Saints turf. "Welcome to Burns Hill, Decker territory." G.E. said while the four of us walked into the hotel.

"Don't you mean Saint's." Connor joked even though the same thing happened to him.

"No." he bluntly said sliding the business card across the check in desk. "404 Domain." he whispered to the woman behind the counter.

"Right this way Mr. 34ter." The woman said stepping out from behind the counter. As she led us down the hall I examined the other guest, a few green clad body builders and some a group of girls in red who were either a matching strippers or matching hos. The further we got from the lobby the less people I saw until we got to a dead-end with a population of just us.

"What is this, some kinda a set up?" Connor said stretching his tattooed arm out and grabbing G4ng 34er's collar.

"Christ! Chill out mate! Trust us." He begged waving his hands in surrender before nodding to the woman. Receiving his signal she took a couple of weirdly rhythmed steps and I heard a click.

"Hold on." She warned grinning sadistically.

"What the- OH SHIT!" Dex, Connor and I screamed falling through the floor. The instant the tile floor opened up a burst of dubstep shot into my ear getting louder as we fell. Helynet's Lessons the one dubstep style song I knew. _How high up were we?_ I asked myself feeling that we've been falling for a while. But the instant after the thought passed the floor came into sight with teens in clad in blue partying below.

A light blue strobe light hit what I had thought to be the floor a revealed it to be a giant speaker. "A fuckin' speaker?"

"Don't be a moron, it's a Decker brand speaker." G.E. corrected diving towards it along with the woman. _Fuck it. _Joining them I dived also followed by Dex and Connor. A bass filled vibration waved through my body and caused a slightly nauseous feeling. The wave flipped us changing our heads first trajectory to feet first. I landed on my feet (sort of) but unable to stick the landing I rolled into the nightclub/arcade themed setting.

"What are the Deckers even about?" Connor asked trying to hide how impressed he was.

"We were about the Syndicate but the Saints took that away. Now we Exs party and take hacking jobs for cash."

"What happened to Mr. Miller." Dex asked even already knowing the score

"...The Cyber God is finished. These are the only Exs with any pride left." _I was wondering why this place was so big with only about twenty-five people. It's probably bigger than the actual hotel._ "And I'm their leader." G.E. pridefully stated.

"Too bad I wanted to set up a business with him. What about you?" Dex asked taking a familiar tone. "Are going let these people down like Matt or would you like to become a champion." Unfortunately I didn't notice until I already joined up but that was the tone he always took to bend people to his will. After being dropped from my gang I had almost nothing but my custom Tetsuo, that's when Dex and Connor picked me up. His tone and promise of fortune, I thought Dexter Jackson was a god, he even introduced me to Aoi. But then I did a 'delivery' for him and lost (as in it blew up) my black and red Tetsuo.

"Trust me mate, Miller hasn't let us down yet." G.E. elusively said. "But consider us allies." Placing his hand out Dex hesitantly took it, shaking like business men instead of bangers.

"Whatever, are we going to Planet Saints now? I've gotta buy, well, get a Aoi an apology present."

"We just made a new friend, celebrate," Connor said putting his hand over my dreads. "son."

"Fuck you." I said pushing his hand away. "I just wanna get this over with."

"Settle down, just follow me to your rooms." the woman said leading me through a crowd of gaming Goths.

"And D, we're meeting up at Parkview Flats at four o'clock, don't bring too much attention to yourself." Dex warned before looking at Connor who had just picked up some kind of metal hammer/scythe. "Connor, you either." he added shaking his head.

* * *

**A review (love or hate) would be much appericiated although that was just a prelude. First (real) chapter will be up tommarow **


	2. Meet the Real Gangstas

**Now then this is where things get interesting. Any work Dex gives you is always harder than it sounds. It's a bad day to be wearing red (and/or) attacking a Planet Saints. **

* * *

Chapter 1: Meet the Real Gangstas

I had thought it'd be a good day when I woke up with a new KA-1 Kobra, then I remembered I still work for Dex. _It's almost four and I'm going to smoke a Saint (employe). I wish I could've toured the city first._ I thought looking back on my morning. Upon awaking I realized I had been grazed by one of the Ultor guys, which I had to patch up. I had tried to call Aoi and the Ex-Deckers told me calls cannot come in or out of this place (unfortunately nobody told me how to get out.) After wandering around for an hour or two of wandering around I found a round red button with a pinkish star in the center on it. So I figured 'fuck it.' and pressed the button. The floor opened and I fell into the cannon of one of those stupid Genkimobiles.

Then as I flew through the air I yelled some things that would make mother want to sew the ears of their children shut. Sending me through an open window I had landed in a second floor bedroom of some abandoned house. The interior of the room was blue so I guessed this was their secret escape route incase they ever got found out. my way out of the house I made a call on my cellphone. Almost as soon as the call went through I was cursed out, confirming that Aoi and I had broken up, again, meaning I'd need an impressive gift. Since I'm broke twenty-four seven I decided to steal something. I heard that there aren't many snitches in this town so I stole a Torch at a red light with witnesses all over. I walked around the car to the driver's side pulled the door open and 'gently' tossed the driver to the ground, he looked like it wasn't his first time being jacked. While climbing up from the ground he pulled a taser and zapped me. Unfortunately for him it was on the default setting of low. Moving through the pain I kicked him in his chin making him spit blood and pass out.

_Fuckin' prick._ I thought driving to Rim Jobs. Getting a golden dragon painted on the sides of the yellow car and changing the trim to black I was satisfied. Having the mechanic hold the car I made my way back to Dex.

"Alright, I'm here."

"Finally. The fuck took you so long?" Connor asked as if I was hours late.

"It's been a long morning." I answered.

"Oi let's get going before your targets shift in over." G.E. suggested walking with a suitcase towards the murdered-out Criminal. As we all followed the kid we found Dex in the back seat. Taking his seat up front G.E. forced me into the back with Dex. "Mr. Jackson here is the security footage you asked for." He said handing the case to Dex. Opening it was revealed to be a laptop with a screen showing the inside of a Planet Saints.

"Perfect. Alright that's the guy you're gunning for." He said pointing to a man standing behind a register. "Connor, let's get going." Following Dex's order Connor starts the car and Doujah Raze song Gotta Get the Cash comes along with the engines roar.

When we made it to the store I checked the new weapon. "Just one guy this time, no bullshit, right?"

"Right, here take this." He said passing me a red on black bandana. "Make it look like a robbery. There'll be less investigation and you'll get a little something extra." Nodding I tie it over my mouth and nose in a bandit fashion.

"Shit, extra money. I'm already set after this."

"D, hurry up before the cops come by." Connor suggest. After I got out of the car I heard G.E.'s accent says,

"Good luck mate." Through his blue lipstick smile. "There shouldn't be any trouble." He said looking at the laptop.

"Meet us at the dockyard warehouse, it's right here in Salander." Dex ordered. "And don't worry about witnesses nobody in this town is stupid enough to see anything."

"Alright. I'll catch y'all later." I answered.

"Connor, I.A.D. now." Dex said as the car moved forward. _What the fuck is I.A.D.?_

Ignoring the letters mentioned I walked into the clothing store to do my job. The instant the double doors closed I pulled my gun. "Alright nobody moves nobody takes the deep six, got me!?" Getting nods from everybody who I aimed at I turned to the target. "You. Open the register!" Just looking at the guy I saw he was pathetic. The kind off guy who has to wear diapers because he'll piss on himself if a guy looks at him funny. _Why would anyone pay to have him dead?_

"H- Here's th- th- mon-" The nerdy cashier began before I stopped him.

"I don't have all fuckin' day!" I shouted snatching the money from him. After pocketing the money I pointed the gun to his head. "Now then what did you see?"

"A-"

"Wrong." Before I could pull the trigger a group of three busted in through the back door, two woman and a man. Sighing I pointed my gun at a dark-haired woman dressed classily in purple who stood in the middle of their group. "Nobody be a hero and I'll jus-"

"I thought you and Oleg killed the last Morning Star yesterday?" A smallish redhead wearing a FBI jacket said to the other woman, ignoring me.

"I thought so too, but isn't finding their hiding spots your job." The center woman said referring to her friends. I know that I should've shot them but there I was so confused by the fact that they weren't at all worried about my gun.

"Well we've got 'em now." The man ecstatically stated. _Wait is that Josh Birk?_ I thought trying to match his arrogant face with a name. _I have wanted to kill this guy ever since I saw that stupid STAG commercial. His show was already bad enough._The instant I turned my aim to the actor I found two guns trained on me, but that wasn't what surprised me. The FBI woman had an AS3 shotgun pointed at me. Life lesson, don't judge a book by its cover. Laughing as though he was actually doing something the actor jumped into cover while the two women opened fire.

"You're not normal Nyte Blaydettes are you!?" I asked, yelling over the screams of the people in the store. There weren't supposed to be actual Saints here, but as always with me things didn't go according to plan. _Fuckin' Exs!_

"Birk take him out!" The mid-woman (who I assume is the badass of their small group) ordered blasting my cover with a SMG. "You still haven't proven you're Saint material."

"Um..."

"Don't say it." The shotgunner warned.

"I don't have a gun." The actor informed. "But don't get me wrong as long as Shaundi is in the Sai-"

"I don't want hear it, if you don't have a weapon next time I'll kill you myself." I've never even met this woman but I somehow trust that she wasn't bluffing and if I don't make a move she'll kill me.

Following my instinct I shot the ceiling above the three and took the seconds they were distracted by the glass falling from the glass and mirror ceiling to shoot back. Firing the Kobra for the first time I aimed for their leaders head and managed to break her aviator shades unfortunately she already had her aim set on me. As her TEK Z-10 began to empty ammo I was forced to dive to cover. Due to my thin shield (that being a purple couch) the bullet continued almost completely uninterrupted. _She got me._ Finding a bullet hole in the display case directly in front of me I knew it had come through somewhere, although I didn't want to look. _If I die I am going to be pissed._ I bitterly thought to myself. _O.K. move in 3... 2... 1!_ As if following by timing a spray from a shotgun tore through the couch. "Almost ladies!" I yelled making a mad dash out the door.

Jumping down the few steps I quickly found that I had lost more blood than I thought. It was a SMG after-all but I had hoped it was just one bullet. Dizzy my eyes began to blur and I kneeled trying to regain my composure. After a few second I had finally got enough strength to stand up, not that it mattered. As my vision came back I made I contact with a tough-looking blonde man, who quickly punched me to the concrete just as the other Saints came out. Unable to move I spitefully watched as Birk high-fived the man. "Dammit..." I sighed before passing out.

~Aprox. 4 hours later~

As a chill rushes through my body I awaken, opening my eyes I get a strong headache from the light. Due to reflex I try to raise my hand to my head only to be met with strong resistance. My hands were tied behind me bound to something. Realizing that I open my eyes slower and look around. Observing my surroundings it seemed those Saints abandoned in some warehouse. There was random junk all over, varying from tires to piles of cinder blocks. The smell of salt water says I'm at the coast. _Son of bitch._Looking down I also note that my hoodie, shirt and bandana are missing being replace by bloodied and lazily applied bandages, which begs the question. "Why am I still alive?"

"Because we want to know about the rest of the Syndicate." A woman's voice said from a far corner. I couldn't see the person but I could hear them stepping closer.

"But since you have skills with actual guns instead of video game ones and you don't have a wrestling mask on I guess you wouldn't know." A voice the same as earlier continued. "So why the hell did you try to rob my store?" The dark-haired woman says moving pulling a chair in front of me.

"Hmm... You know you don't look as tough without Nyte Blayde around." I joked while trying to strategize. _Without the aviator glasses she looks kinda familiar._"Or is it the shades."

"Hilarious." She said dryly. Drawing a pistol the woman menacingly leaned towards me. "What's your name?"

"You tell me yours I'll tell you mine." I offered.

"I'm Jane." The woman answered with an accompanying sigh. _Either she knows she's gonna kill me or that was a lie._"And you are?"

"Did anyone ever tell you you're a great liar." I stated, not holding back on the sarcasm "Jack Ruby, since your about to kill me I was wondering if you could tag that wherever you dump my body."

"So you're the guy who killed J.F.K.'s assassin?" She asked in a doubtful tone that said 'Oh really'. _Dammit a banger that knows history._I nodded basically cursing myself. Pushing the barrel of an NR4 directly into my stomach she was aiming for the sources of blood in the bandages, hitting my bullet wounds and pushing more blood from my torso. As I tried to hold back any signs of pain I started a cold sweat, which seemed to be all she needed. "Kinz you get his name yet?" She yelled.

"Right here Boss, here's his name and a bit of background." A voice said from the floor above. Shortly after the redheaded girl from earlier descended the stairs carry in a few papers.

"Thanks." _Wait, did she just bleed me for fun?_I thought regretting teaming up with Dex once again. She's that girl, Kinz, said 'Boss' right? I am so fucked, she didn't get the name 'The Stillwater Butcher' for nothing/ After skimming through a few of the papers she looked back to me. "Damian Voleur, I've heard, you moved to Stillwater a month ago and fit right in." The woman said implying to the kind of people in Stillwater. Not getting any kind of response from me she continued. "Apparently there's a warrant for your re-arrest after you broke out of prison, holding up stores?"

"Please, if that was all I'd have just done the time. I'd list it for you but I'm sure you've got other victims to attend to."

"It's all the basics of organized crime; murders, car jackings, gun possession, etcetera." Kinz stated guessing that her leader would want the info quickly. "It turns out he actually was Morning Star."

"Wrong. I quit after my old gang made some shitty deal with them." I corrected unintentionally reviling more about myself than intended. It's just that I hate the Morning Star so much. They bought out my boss and tried to set up anyone who wasn't down with the deal. Making me and a few others look like traitors. Luckily that was after my crew broke me out.

"You didn't let me finish, it says you were kicked out right after they signed your gang." Kinz corrected.

"So you're a loser. But even a loser wouldn't be stupid enough to attack a Planet Saints unless they wanted trouble, so who are you with."

"Oh I'm with your old friends the Brotherhood," I lied before remembering a story Connor told me. "I figured you'd sign an autograph if I dragged your cashier through Stee-" With a solid bang cutting me off I saw a gun pointed just to the side of my head. The smoking gun wielded by the angered leader of the Saints who was now standing above me told me to it's time to shut the hell up. _Don't mention that guy. Gat and Aisha are probably of limits too._

"Boss what's going on?" A person asked running into the room with a AR-55, probably concerned about the shot. "Boss, Kinzie?"

"Nothing," She replied after some thought. "it's fine Reece."

"Reece, huh? The guy who ruined my badass escape." I said recalling the large blonde.

"In reality your 'badass escape' wouldn't have gotten you very far, especially due to your injuries." The redhead stated matter-of-factly. _No shit. If they didn't want to know about the Exs I'd be dead right now._

"I've decided something Damian, I don't like you." Their boss divulge looking to Reece who nodded his head and walked behind me. As I wondered what he was up to I made sure not to take my eyes of the leader. Reaching down to her ankle she reviled a butterfly knife. The instant she flicked it open the same hands that knocked me out appeared on my shoulders holding me in place. _Shit._

"Kinzie go check your computer for something, this one's going to take a while." She warned pointing the knife at the center off my chest. Following the woman's orders the Saint quickly fled up the stairs, which actually scared me more. She's about to do something to me that she doesn't want Kinzie to see. _I am so sorry I mentioned Carlos right now._Feeling the knife press slowly deeper I tried to brace myself.

"Just tell her what she wants to know."

"Fuck. that." I said taking a breath after feeling the knife cut into me. "I hope you cleaned that thing." I grinned trying to get through the pain. She was slowly dragging the knife across my skin before coming to a quick stop after two or three inches. Matching my stupid grin she spoke.

"I think I'm going to trace your tattoo." She said moving her hand to the left side of my chest. The only thing running through my mind at that point was /Why'd I get that stupid Knightmare flag tattooed./

"Have fun." I promoted continuing to act like an idiot. I was hoping she'd tire eventually and just put a bullet in my head. After a few incisions made me re-experience the pain of getting the tattoo she paused.

"Now that I think about it that record says you have a sister, Deja right?"

"You couldn't burry me deep enough to save your life if any of your Saints touch her." I threatened putting all jokes aside.

"Then just tell us about the robbery." Reece suggest as she points the knife back along the lines of my tattoo. "And you can go visit her."

"I'm no snitch, you can both go f-"

During my slight rant a bullet comes flying in throughout a window. Due to the place the bullet imbedded itself into the floor it was impossible to tell if the shot was aimed at me or the leader of the Saints. "Shit, Reece grab Kinzie and call Shaundi or somebody." She ordered as a grenade came though the window. As the two Saints dove to cover I had to quickly leaned back falling (while still in the chair) backwards to the floor. Coincidentally shrapnel from the grenade spread in a way that left me completely unharmed. _Cool, now how do I get up._ Looking for a way to cut my binding I see a pair of masked people outside the window. Bursting in they began shooting at the two Saints. Looking at the number of orange beams flying around I figured there were more than the sole pair I had seen at the window.

So I'm being rescued. I gratefully thought until one of the mysterious men pointed a Viper Laser Rifle at my head. Instinctively I tried to escape turning the chair to the side he shot the frame inadvertently (and painfully) breaking me lose. Quickly I grabbed a piece of the chair and stood. Moving out of his laser's path I broke my improvised weapon further against the side of his head. While he was stunned I pulled the weapon off him and shot through his chest. I had never fired one of these but I diffidently liked its work. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the Saint aim at me but quickly change her mind after seeing me tear apart another mystery man. Instead she unloaded her gun into a man who had attempted to chase Reece upstairs having him flip over the railing and drop into a pile of junk. While taking shots at him she hadn't noticed a large man running up behind her. Without hesitation I took a few shots at him close-lining him with bullets watching him slide to the floor below her. With the rumors I've heard I don't think it'd matter if I had let him get to her anyway. The head Saint and I had to have taken down at least ten of these Spec ops style assassins each and the two Saints upstairs who were firing from above also took down a fair amount.

"Who the fuck... are these guys!?" I struggled to ask as one of them put me in a chokehold. Being choked out I dropped the Viper. As my eyes drifted to the floor I noticed my shadow extend telling me there were bright lights getting closer behind me. After hearing a load of gunshots I was freed from the iron-grip and fell to the floor. As an army in purple came through door the two Saint upstairs also came down. The attackers fell to the floor just like me only difference was they weren't getting up. When I did stand up I found the lovely Shaundi herself, however the K-8 Krukov she pointed at me made her a bit less attractive.

"Leave him be for now." Shaundi's boss ordered. With out question Shaundi lowered the assault rifle and acted as if I wasn't there.

"Boss, some of them got away but my crew is following them now." She reported. "Who are these guys?" Shaundi asked kicking a corpse onto it's back.

"It's Dex. He's sending his hitmen after me again," The leader answers before looking at me and continuing, "but it wasn't just me this time."

* * *

**Who ever could've guessed that Dex would once again betray a friend. unfortunately for him it'll take more than a small army to kill D and the leader of the Saints.** **Maybe next time he'll try an Ex-army...**

**Reviews welcome**

**P.S. Thanks again for letting me use your Saints shadow182angel. Anyone who hasn't read Birth of a Saint, A Saint's Resurrection, The interview (my personal fav) or Forever a Saint (in progress) I recommend you do ASAP you won't regret it**


	3. Welcome to Betrayal

**Consider this mission one: Canonized. Also introducing one of my best friends and brother, Cruz 'Nero' (Whose name has been changed for this story), as a matter of fact I'll make this a dedication (although you'll never read this) good luck at your new school, Bro.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Welcome to Betrayal (303)

"What, you think they were after me?"

"That depends, do you know Dex?" The head Saint asked. I really wanted to say 'Who the fuck is Dex?' but it'd just be too obvious. So my only answer was only a simple,

"Yeah."

"He sent you to the Planet Saints?"

"Dammit, do you like guessing games or somethin'!?" I snapped at the realization that I was setup. No one responded as if they knew how I felt. "Yes, but no real Saints were supposed to be there. I even saw the stores surveillance camera."

"What're you talking about anyone with a tv knew The Boss and Birk were gonna be there today." Shaundi interjects.

"I might be able to explain that. Yesterday an outside source downloaded a video from our files." Kinze explains. After she mumbles something like, "I told you we shouldn't transfer the files through the net."

"Alright Kinzie spend the night at Shaundi's and Reece make sure nobody follows you back to your apartment." The boss commanded walking to the garage area of the warehouse.

"Wait! What about me, what am I supposed to do now?"

"Stop chillin' with that Dex guy for one." Reece swiftly answered.

"Real fuckin' funny! Let's hear you say that shit to my face." I provoked. Before he could step up to fight me his leader put her arm out stopping him in place. "Boss I c-"

"Look, go home and tomorrow come to the Friendly in Loren Square. And don't ware any red."

"Fine." I agree. As they continued on their way I overheard a conversation between Shaundi and Kinze.

"You better not bug my place." Shaundi warned.

"What makes you think I'd do that?" Kinze innocently questioned.

"I found the bug in my phone... And in my car... An-"

"Fine... I won't touch your stuff." Kinze forfeited. The little gag was a bit funny but not enough to make me forget everything that happened. _Dex set me up with the Saints and sent these bitches to clean up._ I confirmed in my head spitting on one of the corpses. _Fuckin' bitches.  
_

Having no car I walked to a nearby Diner, checking any corners to make sure the rest of those assassins really did run away and aren't lying in wait. The people who were out avoided me, I was wondering why until I remembered I was shot (and cut) up, with bloody bandages. I laughed to myself at the realization. _I hope it's not a no shirt, no shoes no service kinda place._

Sitting myself down in booth I saw a few waiters and waitress discussing (more like arguing) over who'd have to come to my table first. Ignoring them I checked my pockets to make sure I could actually get and thing. _Fucking great..._ Not only was I shot, knocked out, and cut but they also robbed me for my money, knife, gun and phone. "Hey," I called interrupting, the workers quarrel. "Let me use your phone and I'll be on my way." Nodding one of the waitresses pointed to a back room.

Finding the phone I hesitated. I knew a few people in Steelport but I don't know what they've been up to since our Knightmare days. "Fuck it." I said to myself dialing a number.

"'Sup?"

"Yo Nero, that you?" I asked.

"Depends, whose this?" Cruz doubtfully asked.

"It's D. C'mon I don't have all day."

"D, the fuckin' Knight, man I haven't seen your punk-ass in almost in almost two years. What've you been up to."

"Nothin' I'll mention over the phone." I answer looking over my shoulder to the waiter watching me.

"I feel you on that." He said implying we were still in the same kind of business. "So what do you need?"

"I'm stuck here in Steelport for a while and I need a place to stay." I stated making what I need obvious. "I don't think Smiling Jack's is very welcoming."

"Shit, as long as you can pull your own weight it's cool." Cruz answered. "I'll give you a lift."

"Thanks but I could probably get a car, why drive me.?" I wondered.

"Because you could get lost in our old city, you're just a tourist here." Well at least now I knew he didn't forget about me. I used to get lost in Stillwater too, that's why I made sure to buy a phone with a GPS.

A few minutes later I heard a car horn and looked out the window seeing a black Hammerhead with a dark purple stripe and matching under-glow. _No fuckin' way._Coming out of the diner I did see Cruz behind the wheel. "Damn, what the hell happened to you?" Cruz said stepping out of the car and observing my wounds.

"I could ask you the same thing, Mr. Nero." I answered seeing his open dark and professional purple dress shirt over his black T. He even had black jeans and Canvas shoes. After a quick street-shake I pushed the conversation "I can't believe you, joined another gang."

"Shit, I ain't the only one. A lot of us joined after we heard they were going after the Morning Star. And it's not like I forgot my crew." He said turning his inner arms with rolled up sleeves towards me. He's got the Knightmare and Smokin' Suns' (a gang our group took over and let him lead) flags tattooed to each of his tan forearms. "The boss diffidently looks after her own.

"She try to carve them out of you?" I mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothin'. Let's get going, alright? It's been a long day." I suggested. Gaining a nod from Cruz we both got into the car. "So... You been with Shaundi?" I asked as we started the drive.

"Nah, I was working with Angel de-"

"That's not what I meant. C'mon man, I know you?"

"I've still got Eliana." He stated as thought it was obvious, although knowing him (and Ellie) that could mean still yes. "So really, what've you been up to?"

"Just some merc stuff." I elusively answer before going into detail. "Most recently I fought (and lost to) some Saints, then helped them take down some assassins."

"Damian, this isn't gonna get me in trouble with the Boss is it?

"Nah, should be cool."

"Good." He sighed. "Well, here we are." Arriving in New Baranec at an average sized, single floor house we stepped out of the car.

"This is your place. I guess the Saints pay well." I asked a bit envious.

"Not exactly this is me and Ellie's pad." Cruz replied.

"Wait a minute, doesn't she hate me?" I recalled before correcting myself. "Well, me and pretty much everyone who isn't you?"

"Yeah..." He admitted.

After walking into the house I instantly saw Eliana's smile at Cruz become a frown at the sight of me. I half expected her to run into a different room since she only had a dress shirt on, then I remembered that she doesn't mind being naked in front of anyone because no one else is real to her except Cruz. Even though she doesn't 'see' me that doesn't mean I can't see her. "What's up with that stupid smile?" Cruz said catching my grin at his gorgeous Brazilian girlfriend. After punching me in the side of my face with moderate strength I gave a quick surrender and looked away to a window, again I see that purple sky in the distance.

"Cruz can I talk to you for a minute?" Eliana (seemingly) politely asked. Hearing a sigh from Cruz I saw his reflection walk towards her.

"Damian bathroom's over there, you should go clean yourself up." He informed. "Should have everything you'll need." I nodded and walk off leaving the couple alone in their living room.

Seeing myself in the mirror I could see how bad I lost. Moving my dark dreads I could see a cut to my outer brow from where that guy punched me. The blood at my chest mostly coming from my tattoo. After wiping that away I could see the cuts themselves, "Bitch only outlined half of it." Unwrapping the bandages I saw the bullet wounds three through and through shots that somehow missed anything important. _I guess I should patch these up._ Finding a disinfectant I sprayed the exit wounds and my cuts and took out some fresh bandages. I was glad I didn't have to take the bullets out myself. _I can't believe Nero's a Saint and Ellie probably is too._ Grabbing a hand mirror I casually placed the bandages over my back. _This is all Dex's fault. God dammit was everything I did for this! Whoever was after Dex I took them down, whoever went after his friends I had to take them down!_ As I yelled that in my head I realized something, he has friends. _Who else was in on this. That emo bitch, G.E. obviously got the fake security take and I don't really care about Connor but... Aoi._ I paused just at the thought. It wasn't like I loved her but she is the person closest to me. _If I find out she's in on this to Dex'll be dead before the Saints can even remember that bastards face._

"Yo D, you good." Cruz called after knocking at the bathroom door.

"Yeah." I lied opening the door. "So what's the deal, can I stay here?"

"Yeah, at least until tomorrow. And don't get any blood on the couch, Eliana has some magazine interview."

"The busy life of a model huh?"

"I've got a model girlfriend bro, you won't catch me complainin'." Cruz bragged leaving the room.

During that night I tried to call Aoi a few (a ton of) times, but couldn't get through. That either meant; one: she's still mad, two: she's at that Decker place. For other girls there would be an option three of dead but not for 'The Ronin Queen', the only person who teamed up with Dex other than me who's an Ex because they wanted to be. Turns out the Saints weren't the only people who hated the Akuji, Aoi was supposed to serve them but that dickhead Shogo was after a different kind of service. Being the kind of girl she is Aoi wasn't impressed with his power and tried to slit his throat (among other things) until Shogo's muscle Jyunichi stopped her. According to some drunk ex-Ronin in the she told the young Akuji 'If I wanted to get fucked by a rich bags of shit I'd be in one of your stupid whorehouses, not in this dumbass ." I never asked Aoi if any of that was true and I had never doubted it, but it was a story Dex had told me before I met her. I tried to shake off my feeling of betrayal by going to sleep.

~5 hour later~

But just as I'd expect I still felt it in the morning. "Yo, it's almost time for Ellie's interview, you and I have to go." Cruz said waking me from my half-asleep state.

"What, she kicked you out too?"

"Fuck no. But she diffidently doesn't need the media to find out about her gangsta boyfriend." He explained. "And I don't need any rival bangers who read fashion magazines to find out about my model girlfriend."

"I see your point but can I get a shower first."

"Yeah, but you gotta make it quick."

~Aprox. Ten mins later~

After getting out of the shower I realized I still didn't have a shirt and I doubt the leader of the Saints is about to give it back when I meet her at Friendly Fire. _She better not try to kill me or anything..._ Stepping out of the bathroom with my chest still uncovered I found Cruz waiting for me. "Hey, can I get a shir-" Guessing my question he tossed me a black Crooks and Castles shirt with a white gun splattered on the front.

"Here take this one." I quickly put the shirt on and examined myself in it. _Perfect._

"What, you couldn't just give me some cash?" I complained as a way of saying thanks.

"Well the closest store here is Let's Pretend and there's no way anybody in my crew is wearing anything from there."

"Oh I'm sorry, would you rather buy from Planet Saints?" I sarcastically asked.

"Fuck you." He laughed opening the door as we left.

When we hit the highway I could see the ruins Arapice island and was glad that the mayor took care of the outbreak, but when the mayor of your town is Burt Reynolds do you expect any less. "So what do you wanna do."

"'What do I wanna do?'" I repeated. "There's a girl I wanna see, but unfortunately I've gotta meet your boss in Loren Square soon."

"Damn, where at?" Cruz asked.

"Friendly Fire."

"In that case I've got good news and bad news?" He said having me pick one.

"I could really use some good news right now," I answered "hit me."

"You and I are gonna be hanging a lot more often."

"You call that good news?" I joked. "Alright, what's the down side?"

"You said it was the Friendly Fire in Loren Square right?" He asked again. I nodded and he sighed. "You're about to get fucked up. That's where we canonize people who want into the Saints.

"What makes you think I'll lose? It's not like I've gone soft." I respond. Even though I failed most missions Dex sent me on I can still take on a couple purple wearing bangers.

"You went after a Planet Saints and shot at the Boss, basically you pissed her off." Cruz explained. "And in case you haven't heard she's big on revenge."

"Well she shot me three times and sliced me up I think I'm the one who wants revenge here."

"Whatever man, just don't make me look bad, people know were boys after all."

"Shit, I-" Before I could retaliate a ringtone of Ridin' in That Black Joint by Wale cut me off.

"Yo..." He says starting the conversation and pausing for replies. "Alright... Nah, just a kilo... Don't-" This time the pause is forced as about five gunshots come through the phones speaker. _A drug deal gone wrong,_ I thought. _who ever could've guessed..._"Hello? Hello!? Fuck."

"Trouble?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah." Cruz sighed. "When your selling drugs out of light bulbs I guess you should expect the unexpected."

"You gonna need some help?"

"You're not getting out of being canonized that easy." He joked. "But it's all good, nobody fucks with us." Even though he was trying to play it cool I noticed the Hammerhead were speeding up at any straightaways.

~fifteen minutes later~

We finally made it to the gun store and I saw a few people clad in assorted shades of purple waiting in the gun stores. _So these are the people who're supposed fuck me up._I wondered counting out five. I wanted to ask Cruz about them but I knew he was in a rush so after a quick handshake I got out to face them. As I got a better look I noticed one of them was the guy Reece from yesterday. "Here he is." the voice of a very well-known Saint says from behind me alerting the others.

"Pierce?" I said turning to face him. "Where's your Boss."

"She's busy." _Oh so I'm good enough to torture but not good enough to jump._"Look, I don't know why she wants you in the gang but she does, so you better not let them kill you." Pierce advised pointing to the group of Saints.

"You're looking better." Reece mocked looking at the thin band-aid above my eye. "That's too bad, the Boss told me not to hold back." He claimed moving forward. _Two women and three men (not including Pierce), great... The only 'honorable' thing about me is that I don't hit women. Now Aoi's got another reason to be mad._

"As much as I'd like to fight you one on one Reece I guess one on five'll do." I stated raising my fist.

As the fight started I threw a punch to my right, slamming my knuckles into the face of a Saint who tried slowly creeping towards me. Throwing my right hand to the side of his face I started a combo which I continued until a one of them swept me to the ground. _Shit._I thought as I looked up and saw the sole of a shoe coming down. Quickly I rolled to my left and grabbed another Saint pulling myself up and tossing them down. "Fuck!" Hearing the female voice I made a mental note to punch myself in the face later.

"Tasha, don't let him do you like that." Pierce encouragingly yelled from the side lines.

"Yeah, Yeah." She answered standing up. She took a few quick jabs at me, pushing me back until I realized she was sending me in a certain direction for a reason. Doing a recount of the Saints I could see the one I had scored the combo off of still on the ground and Reece missing from sight. Making the decision to take one of her punches I let the force move me to my right instead of push me back. As moved I could see that my hunch was right and he was behind me. Trying to regain the offensive I sent a jab in his direction, only to be caught by a man matching Cruz's size. He was shorter than me but just as strong. As he held me in place by my arm he threw a hay-maker but thanks to my on again off again girlfriend lady luck he missed. The force he put into that failed punch let me get close and I head-butted him. In a dazed state he let go of my arm and I kicked him into the other girl. _I didn't_ actually hit her did I.

"Reece," Tasha called. "lets just finish this all ready!"

"Fine." Reece agreed slightly whining. Reece got behind me while Tasha faced me in front. I tried to focus on every move they made before I lost my concentration.

"Oh my god! It's Pierce!" A girl erupted from across the street. In that instant I dropped my guard for a split second and felt a graze against my chin. Tasha had thrown a swift punch that sent me off-balance, without giving me a chance to recover Reece pulled both my wrist behind me and allowed Tasha to get one or two more shots at my stomach before he pushed me away and hit me with a strong jab that dropped me to the asphalt below.

I would've tried to push myself up if I hadn't known it would've been a useless effort. All I did was turn myself over and watch as Pierce signed an autograph before stopping the others from kicking the crap out of me. "Welcome to the Third Street Saints." The famed lieutenant said putting his hand out towards me. Taking his hand I pulled myself up regaining stability.

"Thanks I guess... You're friends gonna be ok?" I asked looking as the other two of the other three Saints began to stand.

"They should be, we all had to go through this to get in." Tasha claimed laughing a bit.

"Of course unlike you I didn't lose."

"You didn't lose?" Tasha doubtfully repeats. "What fight were you watching?"

"Shuddup." Reece responds at her comment.

"So you're a friend of Nero's, huh?" Pierce asked. "You deal drugs too?"

"Nah I'm more of a mayhem kinda guy. You need someone knocked down of something destroyed I'm your man." I explained. "If you've got the money." I added with my usual paper chasing attitude.

"Well before we start talkin' money the Boss wants to talk to everybody tomorrow at Saints HQ, we'll see what you're doing then." Pierce replied.

"Trust us, you don't wanna miss one of the bosses speeches." One of the Saints advised, though unlike a threat and more like a 'don't miss out'. "She's even better than Julius."

"Alright, I'll be there." I answered. "Maybe she'll give me some of my stuff back."

"We'll see you there, D if you ever want a rematch come talk to me."

"Oh I will." I said accepting the friendly challenge. Just after the Saints went on their separate ways I realized something. _Aoi's gonna kill me when she finds out I'm a Saint._

* * *

**I wonder if being a Saint is all it's cracked up to be... I mean theirs Money, _Shaundi_, Saints Flow, Respect and did I mention money...**

**Any reviews would be much appreciated.**

**P.S. Title comes from song Betrayal 303, the name says it all  
**


	4. What's a Knight?

**Did I mention that the Saints are Awesome...**

* * *

Chapter 3: What's a... Knight?

~The next day~

"Nothing feels better than waking up in a broken into house." I yawned to myself waking up on some couples bed. After taking a shower and enjoying some of their food (and cash) I opened the front door to leave. Under the welcome mat I saw a small corner of paper. Pulling it I found a note written by the owner.

'Dear Chloe?,  
Thanks for agreeing to water the plants and feed our children's fish. We've left the back door open so you can get in. We'll be back to pay you next week.  
From,  
the Clark family'

Shaking my head in disappointment I gradually leave the house. Without a plan I found myself taking advantage of the free time and wandered around the area. Until I found a particular store, Image As Designed. _I.A.D.?_ "Fuck!" I yelled to the sky. It became so obvious, Dex knew the Boss before anyone else, of course he could guess what she'd do, she even use to work under him. He predicted that she might ask me questions so he changed his face. _Dex could've been anyone I passed on the street and I never would've known._ Clenching my hands they became a tight wrapped fist, I wanted to unload on someone, anyone. Walking down the sidewalk a(n unlucky) guy, who looked like he was on his way to a club happened to bump into me.

"I'm walkin' here!" He said shoving me out of his path. "Fuc-" Before he could say anything else I hooked him in his jaw and he fell into the busy street. An approaching Alaskan that was about to destroy him came to a screeching halt, stopping just before the clubber. In a chain-reaction the car behind the Alaskan hit the truck, sending it an inch forward having the front bumper slam into the mans forehead.

He looked at me like he wanted to cry and I simply shrugged."Whoops."

Seeing the car behind the Alaskan I found a purple Torch with a gold trim and dark tinted windows. While looking tried to peer through the window came down. A bit of smoke rose from the open window and the driver leaned to their right. "Need a lift?" Shaundi asked.

"Hell yeah." I grinned accepting her offer and hopping into the car. As the car jumped lanes and we left that confusion behind us I smiled to myself grateful to that guy and the driver for helping me relax... Or was that the smoke?

"What were you doing back there?" Shaundi questions handing me the blunt.

"I was just, clearing my head." I answered inhaling the plant.

"No, not there, I meant at Planet Saints." Shaundi corrected taking back her joint. "Why were you working with that Dex guy?"

"He had money. I wasn't 'working with him' I was working for him." Before she could ask more about it I did a quick subject change, "Where were you going anyway?"

"I'm going to set up for a little party."

"At Saints HQ?" I added finishing her sentence. Looking to the back of the car I notice a few boxes of what I assume are party supplies.

"You know about the, meeting?" She said with a face of surprise "So the boss made you a Saint," Shaundi questions. "I don't think you've got what it takes."

"Oh, you have no idea what I've got." I responded in a smug tone. Suddenly the car pulled over in the lot of a Rusty's Needle.

"Then maybe you should show me..." She whispered leaning towards me. When I turned to face her directly she had her eyes closed and lips puckered outwards as if for a kiss, but seeing as how I'm not a contestant on '_I Wanna Sleep with Shaundi_' she instead blew smoke into my face. "Take it easy buddy." I put my hands behind my head and leaned back in the chair laughing. I probably wasn't as emotionally crushed as I should've been, but the past few days have been the most fun I've had in almost a year.

"Ay, you need help setting that shit up?"

In a few minutes we made it to the large building, and taking the elevator up we found the penthouse. "What's up?" Pierce asked coming from a room upstairs.

"Setting things up for the party."

"It not a party it's a meeting." Pierce robotically responds. "The Boss doesn't want another party."

"Well she doesn't want you living here either." Shaundi claimed. "Mr. Soopa Exellent." I coundt help but laugh at the memory of Pierce's Saints Flow commercial. It may've been won of the dumbest videos I had ever seen.

"Hey, at least my commercials make all of us money, Ms. Immunity Challenge." He argued. They continued their argument for a while eventually I figure out that I'm going to have to set up myself. Taking the stuff Shaundi had come up in the elevator I cut the boxes open and began placing things. I started off moving speakers and putting drinks in a place to cool, all based on Shaundi's plan. And after they finished bitching at each other most of the party stuff was done, the last thing I had to do was place the boxes out of sight.

After coming up from the below the penthouse I heard a ding from the elevator. Expecting the boss I walked to the opening door. As the elevator opened I saw a large well dressed man. The giant was wearing purple under his suit jacket but his size made it impossible to pass him off as 'just another Saint.' "Excuse me friend." He said thick Russian accent making his way past me, as he did I noticed the span of his back matched the size of a Bulldogs hood. _How much can that elevator lift..._ I asked myself turning towards the elevator. In the elevator I saw a girl typing on a cell phone before she could even look up I recognized her, same curves. _A DeWynter._ I thought with a growl.

Looking down I saw a large set of pale hands pushing me against the wall lifting me about a foot of the ground. As concerning as that was, the over six hundred pound beast that growled in front off me had him beat. "What's uh... What's going?" I asked the others, one of which, Pierce, had a gun pointed at me.

"You just tried to stab Viola!" Pierce yelled.

"And these two stopped you." Shaundi sorely added referring to the large man and Pierce.

"Thanks." Viola sarcastically said answering to Shaundi. While they were talking I looked at my hand and saw the blade of the box cutter I had been using fully extended. I blacked out. "Are you and your little friends still mad about that?" Viola coldly questioned crossing her arms over her chest. She said 'that', the Morning Star took everything from me and that bitch just calls it 'that'.

"Can someone get me a gun?" I asked.

"Trust me, many of us wish we could oblige." The Russian man claims.

"Thanks, again." Viola cut in.

"But we have our orders." He continues ignoring Viola.

I was silent for a while. I wanted and believed every Morning Star was burning in hell but seeing her really pissed me off. My conscience told me, _You have to be in the Saints if you want to find Dex._ Which meant I'd have to get over it, for now. I surrender dropping the box cutter. As I did the large man let me go then placed his hand out for a formal shake. "I am Oleg Kirrlov." He greeted.

"Damian." I responded shaking his hand. Shaking her head I observed Viola leave the room. When I focused my attention back on the others I notice they were intensely staring at me. "Um... I don't wanna talk about it." I said although it sounded more like a question. Luckily, because we were all 'criminals' they didn't ask me to recite the root of my hatred.

"Great, another mystery Saint." Pierce whined leaving the rest of us to the living room area.

* * *

While we waited for the Boss we all watched a few episodes of Bobby and Amber, that Shaundi claimed she was recording for the Boss but then some cable guy, Jim or whatever, had been messing stuff up and a showing of Professor Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax. During all of that a party began to for around us. Reece, Tasha and the others showed up and even Cruz and Eliana. After watching the contestant loose (his life) to the mascots I moved to the second floors bar, meeting up with Cruz. "Wassup D." He greeted walking up to me.

"Nero, you work for Viola? What the fuck's wrong with you!?" I snarl pushing him back a few steps. Immediately after Eliana slammed her drink down and stood.

"Damian, wha-"

"Fuck you! I work for Angel and since he's down I only work for the Boss!" He yelled cutting Ellie off and pushing me back.

"And that Boss has a DeWynter sister on top. We lost everything because of them!" I argued.

"Look if you got a problem we can fight it out, or you could take it up with the Boss and get yourself ki-" As if summoned by our use of her name (well title) The Boss stepped into the bar area totting an Annihilator. _What was she doing before she got here?_

"What're you two doing?" She asked sternly and we reacted like we would if a teacher caught us fighting.

"…Not much." Cruz answered. After getting his answer she turned to me with doubtful eyes.

"Yeah, we're cool." I added. _Since I've only heard rumors about her I have no idea how she treats her gang if they, we, fuck up._ But I assumed it'd be messy.

"Whatever..." The Boss said passing us by and moving behind the counter. "Just don't break anything." She added coming back up empty-handed.

"Are you two cool?" Eliana asked as soon as the Boss was out of hearing range.

"N-" I was going to say 'no' but the glare she was sending me froze me up. "... Fine, I'll be cool." I claimed although I haven't exactly let it go. Suddenly the music got quieter and a few (and I mean very few) complaints flowed through the air.

"Saints." The Bosses voice calls form outside the bar area with Domo Genesis' Elimination Chamber playing softly in the background.

"C'mon." Cruz says to Eliana and I, leading us to the railing. It was a good view-point for the 'great speech' I was told about. She was surrounded by her lieutenants as she stood above the roman styled statue below.

"Now then, I assume many of you heard about the shit that went down two days ago?" She asked.

She was answered by a few low mumbles from the crowd and one distinct, "You mean the robbery or the warehouse?" A drunk answered.

"The second one, idiot." Shaundi sternly responded stepping closer to the railing. The boss put her hand on the star's shoulder and Shaundi took a step back, at the same time down below I saw two Saints take the drunken man out of the room.

"For anyone who doesn't know, there were some assassins who tried to kill me and some other people at Kinzie's place a couple nights ago." She explained. "Don't get me wrong this isn't the first time someone's tried to kill me, but this is personal, well, more personal. Anybody remember Dex?" She asked only a couple of hands went up telling me that most of these people aren't original Saints. "Well he's back. And he's tryin' for my life again. Normally I'd handle this kind of stuff myself, but Dex isn't Killbane, Dex is smart. That means he wouldn't come out of hiding unless he thought he could win." The Boss warned. She was right too. In the short time I had known Dex he never did anything without planning for it, he was always thought first before any action.

"For anybody that wants to go up against Dex talk to Kinzie, Pierce or Shaundi. But, the only one allowed to kill Dex is me, got it? Good. Now be careful, these guys'll come out of nowhere. Most people are surprised when they wake up with guns in their faces, we Saints are ready." At that she put her fist in the air and the Saints followed, including Nero. _Compare to this Knightmare was a gang of clowns._ I thought, _But I wouldn't complain._

As the crowd began to resettle the Boss made a statement that caught me off guard. "By the way, I heard about a street gang called 'Knightmare', anybody here from that group?" She asked. About four hands that were visible from my position came up, while the other Saints looked around. I looked to Nero and he shrugged then raised his hand and I followed. "I see, anybody high up."

"That'd be the Knights, right?" I heard a Knightmare member asked. He looked around then found Cruz and I up above. "Those two."

"You two, come with me." The head Saint ordered. I followed immediately and watch as the higher-ups in the Saints came along. After we reached a room Cruz came in.

Once we entered the office like room the door closed and we were offered seats. "This is pretty intimidating, ya know." I said to the group, even though my eyes were focused on Viola.

"Sorry about my friend here." Nero said our new boss. "He's kind of an idiot."

"We deal with idiots all the time here." The Boss answered.

"I'll assume you don't mean me." A melodic voice says. I easily found the source of the odd voice through the proses of elimination, since I had already spoken to the others. A classic pimp. That was the only way I could describe him from his gold microphone cane to the flashiness of his outfit it was obvious how he made money.

"Anyway, the info I got on your gang wasn't much I'm going to need a few things from you two." The Boss claimed leading to an interrogation. Before Cruz could agree I shouted out a term.

"We'll tell you whatever you want…" I said. The Boss netted her fingers showing interest but she knew there was a catch. "She has to answer a question for me." I add pointing to Viola

"Do you really think you can make dema-"

"Go for it." The Boss answers, cutting Viola of in the proses.

"Did you kill our boss." I questioned. Ever since I heard about the Morning Star's deal I doubted my friend would sell our crew, not for anything. For a group of criminals the room got surprisingly tense, maybe they were so loyal that they could relate.

"Didn't you start Knightmare?" Viola respond in an attempt to evade my question.

"Answer him." Cruz ordered in a serious tone. "It's not like we could kill you here." The woman in question seemed to become (slightly) more nervous, she hid it well but the way she put her hand to her stunna shades seemed a bit too convenient as her hand cutoff eye contact between us. The lead Saint nodded for her to continue though it wasn't necessary anymore.

"Forget it, we got what we need." I accepted. "I'll tell you whatever I can."

"That's funny, two days ago you didn't like snitching." Kinzie reminded me. I answered by pulling a Saints pendant (that I 'acquired' from some fanboy a guy back in the party) out of my shirt.

"Helping your set and telling the people who have you tied to a chair are to totally different things."

"Shit, I know a lil' somethin' about bein' tied up," The pimp wearing a large 'Z' chain says. "I'm sure you got it easy." I felt my eyebrow raise with interest. I was 'this close' to asking what he meant but I remembered, he's a pimp, the Morning Star's business _and that the DeWynters are some real bitches._ I Gazed over the room and the Boss and Pierce, seemed to shudder slightly.

"Right... Let's just get this outta the way." Cruz said making a subject change and referring to the Boss' questions.

"Good," Shaundi said "I was starting to come down." The Boss only shook her head not at all surprised by the woman's constant high.

"You two are friends, right?" The Boss asked. We both nodded, wondering where this was going. "Okay, then you two should get some of our people together. Anything that you find out about Dex tell me or Kinize."

"Um... He's probably not 'Dex' anymore." I stated not making any effort to hide my uncertainty.

"What's that mean?" Pierce asked.

"'I.A.D.', Image As Designed. He went there after he dropped me of at Planet Saints." I answered.

"Kensington, would you be able to track their facial-reconstruction records?" Oleg asked.

"No, Image As Designed isn't connected to the net." Kinzie answers coming off a bit disappointed. "Their computers are completely closed circuit."

"Dammit, Boss, do you want a few of us to go 'ask' them about it." Shaundi suggested.

"Not yet." The boss answered shaking her head. "Is there anyone working under him?"

"…Yeah, some Deckers, an Ex-Brotherhood named Connor and..." I paused. _Aoi._ "I think I saw a Son of Samedi but I think he was just trippin' and walked into the wrong building." The instant I finished my lie I felt two taps at the side of my shoe. An old sign the boss would use to tell us we're fuckin' up. _He knows somethin's up, huh? Guess I'll explain it later._

"Do you have the names of any if the Deckers," Kinzie asked. "Or know where their hideout is?"

"Well there's the guy who showed me the tape, G4ng 34ter." I said in plain English instead of uncomfortably spelling/counting it out. "And I can take you guys to the place tomorrow since, I don't know the address."

"Great," The Boss responds. Placing her hand on the table she slides something over to me, my cellphone. "Here you'll need this. Call us as soon as you come up with anything." She ordered finishing the conversation. We nodded and stood to leave but she stopped Cruz at the door. "Nero, how's Angel."

"Wouldn't know, last time I showed up at his gym he fractured my jaw." Cruz answered before continuing back into the party/meeting.

As we both made our way back to the bar that Ellie remained at Cruz and I exchanged looks. "So he's dead, huh?" He asked.

I nodded. "Vi?" I asked getting a shrug as an answer.

"Probably not personally." Cruz answers, "Don't do anything stupid, Loren is dead as hell, leave it at that." After a pause I agree to let it go as long as I'm in the Third Street Saints.

When we make it to Eliana I decided to give them their space and head down the steps grabbing a beer. Turning my cell back on I note that my password lock has be deactivated. I skim through recent calls and messages making sure that the Saints didn't find anything on Aoi. A few stupid (but non-incriminating) text messages and no pictures either. There was a voicemail from my sister who apparently called thirteen times yesterday. As of now I don't think any Ex should know about her, but naturally I was concerned. And so I moved out to the helipad and played the message  
"Shit. Damian, why won't you pick up!? Y- Your apartment is destroyed! There was a fire and they're saying it was arson. Did something happen? Are you even alive. Please call me." _Well that sucks._ I thought after sending my sister a text that simply stated: 'I'm alive.' I had to tell her something, I didn't want her to know about what had happened with Dex. Besides with all the enemies I've made who could even say it was the Exs, I mean almost everyone in that building was some kind of outlaw.

* * *

**I wouldn't say things are progressing smoothly but the are progressing nonetheless. But another storm is brewing just out of Damian's sight...**


	5. First Gig

Chapter 4: First Gig (in purple)

Only minutes after I sent that message my sister called me. I had really hoped she'd just accept that I was alive and move on. _Why does she care so much?_ I thought picking up my vibrating phone. "What's up?"

"Don't what's up me! Where the hell are you!?" My older sister shouted through the phone lines.

"Steelport."

"Ste- Damian. What the hell are you doing in Steelport!?"

"Chill out it Deja, can't you hear the music?" I said holding my phone towards the penthouse. "I'm just at a party."

"Your stuff got torched and you're at a party?" She doubtfully asked.

"Yeah..." I answered though it sounded more like a question. "Oh, body shots? Sorry Deja, I gotta go."

"Wai-"

After I lied my way out of that conversation I left the party. I've had a big day ahead of me after all. Taking a cab I rode back to my (borrowed) house. My sister did call again but got the point when I picked up then immediately hung up. Before going to sleep I used one of the new numbers, sending Kinzie a basic idea of where the hotel was and hoping she'd utilize it.

* * *

In the morning (more like mid-afternoon) I decided if the family was going to be back in a few days that I should make the most of it. I used their shower and even washed my clothes. There might be DNA or whatever but it wouldn't matter, as long as they don't have a reason to look. Redressing myself in the fresh out of the dryer clothes. I head out again, since I had a phone this time I called a ride. "Cruz, you ready."

"Yeah, you call The Boss?" He asked.

"Nah, you do it, I've gotta get a new piece first." I say as car passes playing Heavy Artillery by Game.

"Don't worry about it I got you." Cruz confidently answers. The way his voice carried his words implied he have something I'd like.

"Alright, pick me up over by the High Rise Condos in Loren Square whenever." I requested.

In a half hour his Bootlegger arrived and we headed towards Burns Hill. "Pierce said they're gonna meet us at the reactor with a crew. D, don't fuck any of this up, alright?" Nero ordered, a touch of worry in his voice.

"What, you don't trust me anymore?" I asked. "C'mon, you know I got this."

"It's not that. This isn't Knightmare, I actually had to work for the Boss to know my name." He explained. I could relate to that, before I could even start doing jobs for Dex I had to make my name known in Stillwater.

"Didn't I just say I got this." I answer intrepid that I could pull my weight. "Just give me a gun and I'll take care of business."  
"Your stuff's under the seat." Nero says. Placing my hand under the seat and feeling for a gun I grab a .45 Shepherd and a few magazines. I didn't notice it at first but I was grinning, looking at my reflection in the barrel. "You're welcome."

When we made it to the Burns Hill reactor I was a lot less intimidated than the last time I saw it. The fact that I was a member of the gang that owns all of this made the giant angel/devil statutes a lot cooler, especialy since the looked like someone I know. "C'mon." Cruz said getting out of the car. Following him out we walked into the large building and took the elevator as high up as it went. When the elevator doors opened my eyes were quickly drawn to the poles connecting the purple lights on the floor to the ceiling, it was about three o'clock so I wasn't surprised that no one was there but I knew I'd be back one night. "The Boss here?" Cruz asked the nearby Saints.

"Yeah.. They're up on the roof." One answered.

Taking a side elevator up we were near the top of the power plant. Seeing the Boss, Shaundi and a few other Saints standing near a purple Tornado the two of us head over. "These the people we're waitin' for?" A shirtless man with red hair asked. The Boss nodded and jumped into the co-pilots seat while the man put on a pilots helmet and took his respective seat. "Let's go!" The pilot ordered excitedly. Nero and I both look at each other with questioning eyes, myself hoping the more veteran Saint would know something about the man who wore no purple. Neither of us having an answer for the other, we looked to Shaundi and the two other Saints.

"Just get in." She said with a shrug that said 'Yeah, I know.' Accepting the mystery we join the other Saints in the chopper and took off after.

"Shaundi, give'em the chutes." The Boss ordered checking a K-8 Krunkov. _The what?_ Following the Boss' orders the star passed us two parachutes.

"What're the-"

"So did you two start putting your crew together?" The Boss asked cutting me off, perhaps on purpose.

"I tried, but nobody wants to team up with my friend here." Cruz honestly replied. Taking that as a cue the other Saints in the helicopter turned their heads to avoid looking at us. "Can't say I blame 'em."  
"Ay, I'm right here." I said acting as though I cared. It's not like I was surprised, the Saints at the party clearly wanted nothing to do with me. It wasn't hard to figure out, some of the Saints mentioned hearing Birk bragging about how he, Kinzie, the Boss and Reece kicked my ass. It wasn't like I was trustworthy anyway but letting everyone know what happened certainly sped the feeling.

"It's cool, I know some people who'll help out." Nero responds hesitantly. "Thing is, one of 'em's crazy the other'll fuck us up."

"As long as their legit, it's fine with me." The Boss agreed.

"Great..." I sarcastically mentioned. "My kinda people."

"Here we are." The pilot stated, as we hovered towards a large white building. During the time we before we reached the hotel Shaundi had taken out a McManus 2015 and used its scope to survey the area.

"I don't see anyone yet, Boss." Shaundi reported.

"Doesn't matter, they know we're coming." The Boss answered doing one final weapon check. "Here." She called passing me a matching .45 Shepherd. I nodded my appreciation before Nero and I shared matching grins.

Soon the helicopter landed on the top of the building, blades still spinning as the Boss and Shaundi stepped, out passing the sniper rifle to one of the Saints. "We're gonna take care of business inside, you four stay here and take out any Deckers that get out."

"So what're the chutes for, if the helicopter get shot down?" The Saint holding the rifle asked.

"Hm..." The Boss hums putting a hand to her chin. "Didn't think about that." _What?_

"Kinzie told us where they'll run. Your going to let them get there then parachute in." I wanted to say 'great plan' but this job was a bit to serious to joke around. We all gave unsure nods and the pair went to a stairwell. After the went down we took to the skies again heading for Ashwood.

Within minutes we began seeing a line of chaos moving toward us. "There they are." The Saint without the rifle said. He didn't seem very enthusiastic but he prepared for the jump all the same. The two Saints did a fist bump before jumping from the right of the Tornado.

"You ready?" Nero mockingly asked loading a TEK Z-10.

"Just wondering if it's always like this." I claim readying myself and my chute for the jump and drawing the two guns from.

"No..." When he answered we both jumped from the chopper. "There's usually bitches."

It didn't take long for the to Deckers below to notice us in the light of the helicopter. Shooting into the air the glowing blue soldiers narrowly missed Nero and I as we fell, luckily when our pilot flew off their aim became more wild. Taking advantage of the fact that they were standing in the headlights of the blue cars three of us rained bullets on them while our sniper landed quietly freight containers. One of my guns clicked empty as I opened my parachute making me think_ I never reloaded mid-air before, I wonder._ Grabbing the empty clip I scanned for anyone that looked like trouble. Finding a decker wielding a Krunkov aimed for Cruz I threw the magazine at him with everything I had. Of course the more power I put in the worse my accuracy was... The mag missed the gunman but hit his weapon, this caused his aim to drop and he fired into the back of one of his own. _Nice._

When we landed on the behind the supply warehouse most of the Deckers were taken care off but one more group arrived in a Solar. All of us saw this and proceeded to shoot through the windshield. As the car slid to a stop I caught a glimpse of a girl at the spoiler. She was wearing blue so I tried to shoot her but she vanished into a blue light trail. _Where the fuck did she go? _"D, move!" Nero called. From the corner of my I saw a familiar metal hammer close in. Pressed for time I quickly ducked and the hammer flew over me with enough power to take my head off.

"And I thought those Exs would've finished you." The woman's familiar voice force me to turn around. Even though she was better dressed and wearing less makeup the last time I saw her I recognized her. Though before I could respond she readied for an over head swing.

I leapt forward dodging her attack but the after shock was hell. I was propelled forward further than I expected and an electric shock stopped me from bracing myself as I slammed into a car. _God damn that hurt. If I had known she could do this much damage I would've shot her back when we first 'signed in' to the hotel._ I scornfully thought. "Dammit. Take her down!" Nero ordered shooting at the women missing as she zoomed around the area. While she was fighting the others I even shots at her covering the others. She changed her focus back to me but I couldn't move, my legs numb from the electricity.

"C'mon!" A saint from the chopper said offering me his hand. He pulled me up and while we tried to walk away from the car I took a few more shots at her. She was coming straight at us so I was bound to hit something. Aiming low I managed to hit her over powered roller skates and trip her up. Just as one of the Deckers stun grenades few at her, shocking her into submission. Concerned with the possibility that it may've been some leftover Decker with terrible aim I find the thrower, Nero.

Checking the bodies we took any money that they had on them while we waited for the Boss and Shaundi. Our sniper came down from the shipping containers to collect, grabbing some cash and a the keys to a Solar. "Yo, they're here." He said seeing a car come down the street. As the car stopped the Boss and Shaundi both stepped out. They looked around with faint smiles. The pair wasn't exactly impressed but it was still something.

"Good work." Shaundi said. "Think this'll get the point across?" The Boss silently nodded as she wandered around kicking over bodies.

"If you're looking for a live one the specialist over there's probably good." Nero said catching her attention.

"She was there when I got to the hotel." I added.

"Perfect, we'll take her." The Boss said as the other two Saints hoisted her up and separated her from her weapons and skates. While they carried her to the trunk of the car. We heard our ride fly back in.

"Great, our rides here." Nero said. "Ellie's gonna kill me for bein' late for our date." I laughed at the simplicity of Cruz's relationship but was stopped from making a joke by a D4th Blossom set of pointing to the sky.

"I didn't pay or even ask for a ride back." The Boss seriously states. "This was an 'old times sake' job Tobias went back to Laura in Stillwater."

A speaker comes through the unknown chopper and the familiar voice fills me with rage. "Why send a geek squad to do a mans work." Connor sighed.

"Oh and don't worry, your punk-ass Saints'll be joining you soon." A small light comes from beside the helicopter and flies towards us.

"RPG!" I didn't care to check who was pointlessly shouting, instead I did the obvious and got out of the blast radius. The grenade hit the car and we felt the heat from the explosion bush us.

"Everybody alright?" Our sniper asked dusting himself off.

"Yeah, I'm goo-" His friend attempted to answer but was cutoff by the automatic gunfire from the Boss Krunkov. Connors grey Eagle had flown in close and she was taking shots at the windows.

"Relax babe, I'm out of rockets. I wasted 'em all 'redecorating' the town." The Ex-Brotherhood thug laughed. He switched to a side arm and pointed the handgun at me. "All it'd take is one shot and I could kill you right now."

"No, you couldn't." I responded with a slight growl. Raising his gun he grins and taps the shoulder of the pilot. As he flies off Cruz heads to the burning car.

"Yo, that shits gonna blow!" The Saint who helped me earlier warns. Cruz didn't stop, as he moved to the trunk I guessed what he was doing and ran to help. _There's no way I'm letting my boy and my only chance a gettin' Dex blow up._ Together we tried to pry open the now damaged trunk as the fire got larger.

"Fuck!" I yelled in frustration. "This isn't working."

"Here." The Boss says tossing us the woman's hammer. Using the scythe end of the weapon we mange to wedge the truck open. Grabbing the Decker Cruz tosses her away from the car just as it explodes behind us.

"You good?" Cruz asked patting out a fire on his pant leg.

"You and I both know I've had worse days." I answered.

"So what's so important about this Decker anyway." Shaundi asked checking to see if the girl was still alive.

"For one: she probably knows more than any of these dead guys." _Not that we bothered asking._ Cruz answered.

"Well, I'll see what she knows." The Boss says. I have to admit I shivered a bit when she said that. _I really need to get off this._ "If she knows anything I'll call." We nodded and like that the job ended. The Boss and Shaundi hopped into a Solar and left.

"…Wait, am I supposed to call a cab?" I asked myself as the others took the rest of the cars. _Fuck it, I'm going back to Burns Reactor to see a show._


	6. We Are Back

**I have an idea. Let's pretend I didnt take forever to release this chapter. (And if you dont buy that, my poor excuse can be found at the bottom.)**

* * *

**Chapter 5: So that's where you were**

On my way to Burns Reactor I got an odd message. 'Make a right between those two houses.' There was no number or name so I attempted to continue walking but the blue car that was attempting to creep up on me made me a bit impatient. Drawing my guns I followed the instructions I received and went past the houses. The car stopped and out came two Exs. Unfortunately only one of them was stupid enough to chase me on foot. I waited around the corner and shot him twice causing the Gravedigger to fly from his hand, once in the chest once in the head. Hearing the tires of the car screech I assumed the Ex-Decker fled. _Guess I owe somebody a thank you..._ Before I could walk back to the street I heard a well over played song from Pierce's 'Rest in Piece Aisha' mixtape. I searched for the source and ended up looking to my own phone. _Goddammit, they changed my ringtone?_ I thought answering the phone quickly to stop the singing._ I don't even like R&B._ "What's up?"

"Come to my warehouse, Pierce said you were looking for work." Kinzie ordered then quickly hung up before I could answer. I shrugged my shoulders and changed direction. Those strippers can wait, I always put money first.

By the time I made it to the warehouse I wasn't even sure she still needed my help. There weren't any cars that I could 'barrow', probably due to the gun shots people had heard all night. In the end I walked but I can't say I've ever hated the night air. _I can't believe I used to make cops hate the night-shift now I can't even kill one old man._ Walking into the Warehouse I saw a light coming from the second floor. "Kinzie?" I called. "You here?" Receiving no answer I headed to the stairs. When I reached a room full of computers I look at the screens. _Morning star hideouts... Find Killbane... Oleg..._ "Wait, what?" I asked nobody in particular.

I hear a gasp behind me and Kinzie rushes into the room and pushes me aside. "It's research!" She claims standing in front of the screen.

Clearing my throat I laugh at the redness of the pale woman's face. "I didn't see anything." With her eyes showing distrust she turns to one of the computers and begins typing. Then rolls her chair to the side presenting me with the screen. An orange-haired man in a brown leather jacket.

"This is Michael." Kinzie explains. "He's an Ex Fed and he's been seen with the Deckers in the past and he may be working with them now."

"So I'm killing him. Does this job pay?" I asked.

"Yes it does, two thousand five hundred dollars, but if you want the money your best bet is to grab a police car and pull him over."

"Where am I gonna get a- Oh, I got it." I nodded. "Kinzie about the other thing-"

"Don't worry about the other thing on the computer it's just research." She ordered trying not to yell.

"I was gonna say the other night. Those mercenaries know where you are, is it safe for you to stay here?"

She sighed in a slightly embarrassed manner then spoke. "I couldn't stay with Shaundi forever; besides, there's security camera's that I had a team grab before we took down STAG." Kinzie explained. "The chances of someone getting past all those cameras without getting killed is one in nineteen billi- Basically it's high."

Before I could take offense to her dumbing down the numbers a voice calls from behind us. "Damian," _I recognize that voice._ Turning around I saw Aoi leaning against the wall. "We need to talk."

"How did you- Damian where are you going?" Kinzie asked noticing that I was heading to the door.

"Don't worry; I'll still take care of your guy."

"You know it's probably a trap, right?" She warns as I pass down the stairs.

"Don't care." I yell back before turning back to Aoi. "What do you want to do?"

"We'll you've got Saint work to do," Aoi answers, putting venomous emphasis on the name. "let's work."

It didn't take long for us to find a police car. I'd start some shit, a cop would chase me and when he steps out of the car Aoi does the slice and dice and there you have it, a new Peacemaker. After borrowing the police car I found a place overlooking the route Kinzie sent me and waited with Aoi as the sun rose. "Aoi, how much do you know about what's going on?"

"Let me see... I know I don't care for the Saints. I know you used to be with me, along with Dex and Connor, who also hated the Saints." She answers leaning back and putting he feet up. "I also know you're wearing a Fleur de Lis chain under your goddamn shirt."

"Look, I can expla-"

"I also know you could pull a gun before I could pull my gun or sword, yet I'm sitting here," Aoi says turning to face me. "with you."

Without hesitation I kissed her, it wasn't our usual lustful kiss but one that showed appreciation. She's threw her life to me as a test. Kill her and prove an 'un-honorable mercenary' or take her and be the guy who destroys opponents. "I got you a present."

"Yeah, you better have." She says leaning back in her seat again. "By the way there's your guy." Aoi adds pointing to a traffic jam.

"There's another thing you know isn't there?" I asked leaving the roadside for the street. Aoi only looks at me. "You know that killing this guy'll mark you as Dex's enemy."

After releasing a short laugh she goes on to take a bragging tone. "I don't have to be an Ex-Decker to know that the chances of any of them beating me, aren't very high."

_You'd be surprised those shock hammers hurt like a bitch._ I thought before flipping on the siren on as we pulled the off-white car over. Before myself or Aoi could get out he was already standing beside his car. "Do you know who I am?" Michael shouts approaching our car. "I could have your badge in the palm of my hand tomorrow!" I look to Aoi who only sat glaring at the target.

I tap her on the shoulder and after getting Aoi's attention I grab my gun. "Watch this." Raising my Shepherd to his head I pull the trigger firing directly through the windshield, knocking him of his feet. Normally I'd just leave but what can I say the badder I am the more Aoi wants me. _And I want her to want me, bad._ I took the Ex-Fed's car and Aoi and I took the sidewalk path up the street.

On our way to pick up her present I got to see the cause of the traffic jam, a well demolished Planet Saints. Taking my phone out I send Pierce a message.

"Somebody blew up one of your stores. Since I'm probably suspect #1 I'll tell you now, it wasn't me."

I felt Aoi reading the message over my shoulder and it was quite obvious what she was thinking. _'So you're seriously a Saint now?'_

"I didn't have much choice, it was either join the Saints or die." I explain accelerating the car. "...You didn't have anything to do with that, right?"

"What, you think I blew up your clothing store?" Aoi asked. "Sorry to break it to you, but I've been looking for your dumbass since I got here."

My mind was telling me to ask how it was that she knew I was in Kinzie's warehouse but I just didn't care. I could only enjoy the fact that she was here and continue moving to her present.

* * *

As we reached the Ashwood Rim Jobs Aoi suggested that we ditch the car, which proved to be another chance to impress Aoi and play a game. Despite the fact that we could just burn the car in an alley, ditching the car instead became a game of chicken. Following Aoi's instruction I began speeding down the street towards the coast. As the car burst through a wooden fence and continued over the grass I turned to see if Aoi had come to reason. _You've gotta be kidding me._

When I looked to my right I Aoi had her grin of excitement. _She's really taking this seriously?_ "Eyes up front," Aoi said lowering the window. "I want you scared enough to jump before I have to go swimming."

"Fuck that, I don't plan on letting you leave dry."

Before Aoi can react to my sly remark the drive gets rougher, telling us that we've reached the end of line. As we hit the final bump before the water I noticed the feeling of cold air flowing through my dreads and to the right of my face. _I win._ I thought with a light chuckle. Before the car hits the water I open my door and jump out, grabbing for any solid ledge or rock to hold onto. Getting my hand on an edge I manage to swing into the cliff side and gain my footing. Now safe from the water I look up expecting to see Aoi upset that I won. Instead I heard her voice below me. "Down here, D."

_You've gotta be kidding._ looking down, merely a few inches below me I spot Aoi. Her black hair flowed around her face due to the ocean winds but the look of hate on her face was uninhibited. "This is all the proof I need; the Saints are making you soft."

"Bullshit. You played me and you know it." I argued. I changed my position some and began helping Aoi climb to the top. "You opened the window so I'd think you jumped, didn't you?"

As Aoi got back on the level of the city she grinned. "Can you blame me? I may not have liked the Ronin but your new boss had to cheat to win against those Akuji cowards, what does that make her?"

I pause. I had no answer for what she had said. My only argument would be the takeover of Stillwater. The money they bring in is more than I could make in a lifetime, but it all came down to the fact that like Dex, the Saints have sold themselves. "... No clue. I've met, been tortured and saved by that woman and I can guess is that she hates Dex." I sigh. "I can live with that." Aoi didn't answer, but instead began walking towards back toward the street. She didn't mind that I followed her before eventually taking the lead. Aoi followed me until we reached the Rim Jobs.

From the door I found a African-American woman sitting behind the register. She looked agitated at something. But it wasn't my problem. The woman didn't notice Aoi and I approaching the counter, instead she stared into her watch. "Yo?" I called while Aoi tapped the table. The woman's head snapped away from her watch and she scowled at the two of us.

"What?" The woman asks, with venom in her voice.

"I left a car here. Yellow Torch."

"So that's your car, huh?" She said. The doubt in her voice was obvious especially when accompanied by the once-over she did on me. "Fine, I'll park it in the lot. Your girls gonna love it." She opened a door from the counter and I heard her pick up some key. As she left the room I could swear I heard her whisper something about the spiteful about the Ronin, but assuming that she wasn't reporting to my new boss I let it go.

During our walk to the lot I notice Aoi's and was around her weapon. "What was her problem?" Aoi asked.

"I don't know, she wasn't the one I gave the car to. What's up? You still in a killing mood?"

"No, that's not it. That girl reminds me of somebody." I thought back, trying to piece together the time that I've known Aoi. _It's no good, she must be from before I met Dex._ The car pulled up. The gold and well detailed dragon on the side spoke for its self. I don't know what it meant to Aoi back in Asia but here in America, it means badass. "D... Whoever you stole that from they did not deserve this car."

The woman steps out and tosses me the keys. "It's good to go. Don't worry about the bill," the woman says, drifting into a whisper. "money can't help me now."

"Wha-"

Stopping me from completing my sentence, Aoi pulls me. "Let's go for a drive." After taking one last look at the mechanic I toss Aoi the keys and we drive off.

* * *

After letting Aoi drive us around for a while she stopped at a sports bar, the Broken Shillelagh. "Let me buy you a drink." Aoi suggested.

"So you're not mad at me anymore?"

"Well, there's a lot going on so I'm putting it on hold for a while." At her response I grin. _Maybe I should steal her a boat next time._ "Let's go."

With the two of us walking unto the bar, Aoi and I were not received well. A man who I doubt was even a saint claimed. "A Planet Saints gets blown up and he shows up with some girl." Proceeding his whisper was that of a friend.

"What do you expect; he's not even wearing the colors." The other said, obviously not caring to lower his voice. _On the plus side they're only dissin' me, which means they don't know who Aoi is yet._

"Careful," The first man warns, "She's here and you know she hasn't been in a good mood lately." _She?_ I look in the direction the man was pointing and nearly choke on the cigarette smoke in the atmosphere. A few feet away I spot a fear inspiring form sitting at the bar. _The Boss._ Quickly I turn to Aoi, scanning over her clothes. A short yellow t-shirt, light blue skinny jeans and yellow sneakers. Luckily Aoi had left that sword back in the Torch. _Maybe she won't notice._ I thought, hopefully.

In an attempt to make sure Aoi doesn't see The Boss either, I direct her to a table in the back. "Aoi are you sure you want to drink here?" I ask in a whisper. "There's a lot of Saints."

Taking a look around Aoi laughs lightly. "I'm not afraid of these guys. I pretty sure I've mentioned this to you already but Gat is dead." _Trust me I know._ "Without him, that dead Ronin shrimp would've been the second fall of the Saints."

"And you're better than you're that much better than the Akuji, huh?" I sarcastically add.

"Damn right."

"I'll get us some drinks from the bar. And since this is on you feel free to order the most expensive drink you can."

"I'll just take a beer, playboy."

Walking to the bar counter I get alongside The Boss. I was uncomfortable enough before I realized every move I made was being watched. I tried to ignore it as I turned back to The Boss. She was staring into her drink so intensely, she didn't even notice as I sat next to her. "And I thought the leader of my new gang would be some badass. Turns out she's just a drunk." I said, trying to get her attention. She raises her head, holding an estranged look in her eyes. Her gaze froze me until the bartender approached and she looked back to her drink.

_Okay, this is the bad kind of getting wasted._ "...You?" She grumbles.

"Yeah, me."

"Since you're new you wouldn't know what day it is would you?" She asked, while I held up two fingers to the bartender.

As he goes to get the drinks for Aoi and I, I throw out an answer that I'm pretty sure isn't the right one. "Saturday?"

The Boss takes up her drink and swirl the brown liquid around in its glass. "Hilarious. When we were all back in Kinzie's warehouse you mentioned an old friend of mine." The Boss reminds me. "Well today's the day he died, the first time anyway." She adds before finishing of the drink all at once. _'The first time?' How drunk is she?_ Since I had only just gotten here I didn't know if it was the contents of the glass or amount she's had, but the heavy exhale she took afterwards said her body's had too much.

"You think you've had enou-"

"He was barely a banger but he decided he was going to give his life to the Saints, he even broke me out of jail." _I heard he was young too, like me when I started crime._ I thought, wishing I could've met him. "What about you? Are you gonna trust me with your life?" The bartender, now carrying to beer bottles approached before stopping at The Boss' question.

"My life? I don't give a shit about that." I chuckled with a stupid grin. "If you can make sure I die with money to my name, that's good enough for me."

"Deal." The Boss says placing some money on the counter. The bartender's fear suddenly dissipates. Stepping closer he hand me the beers before taking the money. The Boss stands from her seat and I hear keys shift from her pockets. _She's planning on driving?_ "Hey D, do you know what a Columbian-Necktie is?" She asks as she moves to the door followed by two other Saints.

"Yeah?"

"Good. Don't tell anyone about this talk." The Boss orders, then proceeds to leave the bar. _Fuck. I guess she'll be fine on her own._ I assume while bringing to Aoi her drink.

* * *

After bringing Aoi here beer, we had time to talk about the more civil part of our lives. Aoi told me about her childhood and a girl she used to know, Aiko Akuji. The only Akuji she'd rather not see in hell. I didn't know much about their friendship but it seemed this Aiko was more of a 'blood is thicker than water' type when Aoi tried to tell her what she had been through with Shogo. It seems to be quite a sad memory for her but she still told me with a smile how well Aiko was doing. It gave me an excuse to call for celebratory shots (and escape the subject).

A few drinks later we were too throwed to care about our pasts. _But there's still Aoi._ She was there when I killed that Michael, but what else did she do. "Aoi... You know I'm for you before anyone else," I state, and Aoi raises her head from her arms, allowing me to pose my question. "But do you ride for me... Or Dex?"

* * *

**A/N: Well... Do you think Damian trully has all he thinks he needs? And yeah... If it wasnt obvious I gave up on this story because it didnt do as well as some others, but then I realized of the few things I love, Saints Row is pretty high on that list. At first I was more worried about making a good impression and showing how much I respect _shadow182angel_ but now after going through a lot of maturing, learning and shit I'm back to my usual self. That means I'm only doing this because_ I want to._****  
**

**D, the Knight is back!**


	7. Who's the Traitor

**Ah... another heartfelt moment with Aoi. But who's this person who keeps showing up around here. *Sniffs the air* Smells like trouble.**

* * *

Chapter 6: Who's the Traitor

There was a pause between us as Aoi glared at me. _I guess I got my answer._ I thought with a shake of my head. Without taking her eyes of me, she grabs for her shot of tequila. Grabbing the collar of my t-shirt she pulls me so that I am leaning over the table and empties the glass into her mouth. With Aoi's hand still holding me above the table she puts her lips to my own. As our mouths open the tequila she held in her mouth mixes with the natural taste of her lips and the residual rum in my mouth.

My drunken mind began sobering up somewhat now that I had something to concentrate on. With the mix we had just created sliding down my throat, I started to kiss her back before the bartender walked over to us. He put a hand on my shoulder and broke the lustful session between Aoi and I. "If I had a dollar for every time someone tried to get 'closer' back here..."

"Then what?" Aoi asked with a giggle.

The bartender only smiled and shook his head. "Then I wouldn't care what people did in here because I would be retired." He said with a sigh. "Just try to keep it calm over here."

"That's fine," Aoi smiled. "We'll be on our way." She stood and I followed, eager to get somewhere more private.

Then as we pass the bartender he clears his throat. "Ahem. Aren't you two forgetting something?"

I felt my eyes widen. _We haven't paid._ "Uh-"

Reacting quickly, Aoi puts her hand into my shirt and pulls out the Fleur De Lis chain from behind the fabric. "Just put it on the Saints tab. He's the new guy."_ The Saints are rich why would they have need a t-_

"In that case, don't worry about it. Even when Monica Hughes was trying to take the Saints apart they still came here for drinks." He states. "Good luck, kid."

With a nod I thanked him, making sure to remember to come back here. When Aoi and I walked out of the Broken Shillelagh we were both glad to see a hotel across the street. "So Damian, are you convinced I'm on your side now?"

"If I say no, will you convince me some more?" I asked with a grin.

"If I was that easy, I'd still be with the Ronin." Aoi says, before turning to a member of the hotel staff. "One bed."

The receptionist looks at Aoi then me then at the Saints chain, before handing Aoi a keycard. "Are the Saint's paying for this too?" I chuckled. She did a light glare at me as we headed to the room listed on the keycard.

After two sets of stairs and half a hallway we reached our room. With a scan of the card the door clicked unlocked. The two of us walked into the room and without even waiting for the door to close I wrap an arm around Aoi's waist, pinning her to the wall. Before she could object I put my hungry lips to hers while moving my hand down her spine. Though I couldn't perfectly remember all the weak spots on her body, I did manage to get a good reaction from her. She moved her hands away from the wall and to my chest.

As her breathing grew heavy I pulled back from the kiss and moved toward her neck. "You're not... Making this easy... are you?" Aoi asks pausing and gasping between breaths.

"It only gets better from here." I answer. Spinning, I turn so her back is to the bed and I begin moving forward. With my arm around her waist and the other at the side of her head, supporting the kiss, we continue blindly towards the bed until she falls in and I topple on top of her. "So I've got all night... what do you wanna do first?" I ask less than an inch away from her mouth.

"Sleep, if we're not too hung-over in the morning..." Aoi says prior to changing into a seductive voice. "I'll treat you to heaven." Taking it as a promise, I roll off her and to my own side of the bed. Knowing us, we couldn't be too fucked up in the morning. _Heaven._ I thought with a chuckle. I got out of the bed and picked up my shirt. "What, you're leaving because I said no sex?"

"You really think I'm that type of nigga?" I answer, before raising the room's ice bucket. "I'm going to get some ice to help me cool down, otherwise this 'just sleep' thing is gonna be difficult." I said, closing the door. I began walking down the hallway, searching to find an ice machine. After reaching the end of the hall I find the machine. I place the under the machine and press the button, causing the noise to start up. Taking advantage of the noise I take out my phone and call Kinzie.

"Did you do what I asked?" Kinzie asked._ She sounds busy,_ I think to myself with my eyes wandering the hall until I spot a clock. _Especially considering it's almost two in the morning._

"What, no hello?" I reply.

"Hi. Is the guy dead or not?" She asked, more aggressively.

"Yeah," I answer. "then I stole his car and dumped it in the ocean. So when am I gettin' paid?"

"You already were. I transferred the money to your account a few seconds ago." Kinzie replies.

"But my bank accounts not even in my name." I state. _Well I guess that's simple if you can rival some punk Cyber God._ "Whatever, tell you friends to call me if they want to make some bodies."

I hear a sigh from Kinzie then more typing. "Fine, I'll see if I can find anything else for you to do."

"Th-"

"But you'd better be careful," The hacker warns. "There's more than one Assassin in Steelport."

"Yeah right. Look nobody's a better gun for hire than me." I replied a split second after the ice stops. I had thought (more like hoped) no one was there but I heard the click of a pair of heels. _Clearly not Aoi. If she can't fight in it, she won't wear it._ I thought wishing I hadn't been caught. I raised the phone back up. "Kinzie, I'll talk to you later. And thanks, I'll be careful."

"Wha-" I hung the phone up and took the ice, hearing a gasp as the ice rattled.

I sighed and calmly say, "Don't try to run." I walked out the side area of the hall and saw a nervous woman leaned up against the near wall. The same woman from the Rim Jobs, Aoi and I had been to. She was now wearing what seemed to be a small amount of makeup and had her hair styled in a pompadour. But that wasn't the only thing that was different, compared to hours ago, her clothes were a lot more interesting. The woman was wearing a pair of near skintight black pants, a dark purple long sleeve jacket that ends just below her bust and under that a dark grey tank-top with the words 'Impressive, I Know' written in purple splatter, all in exchange for the mechanic suit she was in when I last saw her. "How much of that call did you hear?"

"Did you kill Clovis?" The woman asked. There was no fear in her voice, or at least not of me, she was once again staring into her watch.

_Clovis?_ "I have no idea who that is?"

"That wasn't a no." The woman said.

"I know." I reply. "But I'm not gonna say I didn't because I might have. You got a picture of him or something?"

"No, but I know you've seen him, assassin. He was the one who owned that Rim Jobs, the guy you gave the keys to that Torch."

"In that case no, I didn't kill him. My first time going back there was to pick up the Torch." I answer. With an obvious distaste for my answer, the woman turns away from me and walks towards the elevator. I place the ice down and follow her to the elevator. _Should I be letting her walk away if she knows that's what I do?_ I wonder as she presses the button.

"Don't worry, I don't care who you kill." The elevator dings and she steps in. I'm not sure why, but I decide to trust her on that and allow her to press the button of her desired floor. "Be careful this hotel isn't 'protected' by the Saints. That means a lot of things can go wrong." She adds, not in a threatening tone, but one of genuine concern. I wanted to ask what she meant but it was obvious she didn't want me to.

I continued standing there for moments after the elevator left, thinking. _Fuck, maybe becoming a merc wasn't such a good idea. Though having people constantly think I'm the bad guy is way better than being homeless._ Snapping me out of my thoughts the ice resettles. "I think I've cooled off enough already." I said to myself, leaving the bucket on the floor. I headed back to our room. _Weird day._ I thought unlocking the door. Walking into the dark hotel room I take my place in the bed, beside Aoi. _This is going to be the longest sleep in my life._

* * *

Following the shifting of weight on the bed, I woke up though kept my eyes closed, preferring not to blind myself in the abundant sunlight. "So is this heaven?" I asked, feeling her move over my waist.

"Not quite, when you get there say hi to your boss." Confused on why Aoi would bring her up in a situation like this I open my eyes, seeing a short sword in her hands. "You are dead."

"Fuck!" I instinctively tried to dodge the blade, finding it difficult to move with her on top of me I end up with a cut on my face barely missing my neck.

I slowly try to move my hand to the bedside table where I believe I placed my gun before making eye contact with Aoi. Her brown eyes were piercingly cold and emotionless. The eyes of the Ronin Queen. "Don't bother. I already put them away for you, Damian." She orders, moving the cold blade closer to my throat. "Now tell me, why do this?"

Mustering a controlled voice I rerun her question. "Shouldn't that be my question?"

Aoi merely rolled her eyes. "I mean with Dex. Why kill him?"

"Why? Because he fuckin' set me up!"

"Did you ever bother asking why he tried to have you killed?" She asked. _You've gotta be kidding._ Taking my silence as my answer, Aoi sighs. "It's because you were a liability. You manage to kill the people Dex kept you for, but not without drawing attention to us."

Her explanation hit me heavy, probably because she led me to believe she liked the way I did things. _And people wonder why I have trouble trusting others._ "What're you talking about, Aoi? The last thing I did for Dex was take out some Ultor guys looking for him." I argued, though my sited reference wasn't my best work.

"You don't understand. Dex is like a brother to me." Aoi adds before putting the short sword closer to my face. "Damian, you brought him so much trouble after all he did for us. That's why when Dex asked me a week ago if I was with him or you I proudly chose him!" She yells. As she attempts to finish me off I grab the closest thing and toss it in to her. As the soft material of the pillow flies at her face, Aoi blindly swings the blade, just missing me. Unfortunately the fact that it was a pillow probably made it more annoying than painful, though it did give me enough time to force her off of me. After pushing Aoi to the side I jump out from the bed, instinctively raised my fist. _I really don't wanna kill you._ She stands in the bed, taking the high ground of the room. "What, do you want to have a pillow fight with me?" She sarcastically coos.

I laugh at her reaction to my move, as my eyes scan the room for my guns. "Actually the plan was to have you moaning into it," I wink. "But that's probably not gonna happen." The Ronin Queen does a fake smile while tilting her head to the side. _This is gonna suck._ She brings the short blade up in a rising slash, catching the sheet on the edge of the blade blocking my view like a curtain. Assuming she would bring the sword down while I was distracted I grab a bedside lamp, holding it above my head to block. As usual I was wrong, Aoi jumped and dive/drop-kicked me just below my ribs. Taking the impact I stumble back and drop the lamp. While narrowly avoiding her crazed slashes, I managed to keep my fist up the entire time. _I'm really not a fan of killing women, but you're really pushing it, Aoi._

I allow Aoi to take a large horizontal swing, as I take another step closer to the door. Immediately she slashes once again. I instinctively jump back, hitting my back on the door. Aoi's sword had hit the wall, stopping the momentum and saving my life. But something was strange; as soon as my back hit the door I felt a recoil, as if someone had mirrored my movement on the other side. _What the hell was that?_ I was even able to hear shallow breathing against the door. "Got'cha!" Aoi calls, blade now in a spearing position. _Fuck. This._ In a swift motion I duck down and prepare to tighten my fist, my mind finally putting my safety over being chivalrous. The blade hits and begins to slide through the wooden door, which puts the Ex-Ronin in the perfect position for me to land my punch. However as the blade moves a gunshot echoes. Matching the blade a bullet comes through the door, grazing my right and hitting Aoi about two inches away from her heart just as I hit her stomach with a side-swipe.

My eyes widen as Aoi begins to fall backwards. With her sword left sticking out of the door I stop seeing her as a threat, and instead envision her more like an ex-wife. I stretch my arm out and stop her from hitting the ground as hard as she could have. "What the fuck?" Aoi asks, trying to yell. "So you called the Saints? Guess they're not as stupid as the color would make you think." _But I didn't call an-_ I was so concentrated on her words that I could barely think and the sound of a man howling in pain just outside the door wasn't helping either. "And I thought you didn't hit women?"

"I don't, but what can I say? This is a city of sin." I reply. I gave a fake smile, still trying to put things together in my mind.

Aoi sucks her teeth and looks away from me. "Get out of here with that cliché 'you'll-make-it' grin. We're not friends here."

"Fine." I answer, dropping her head to the carpet. She winced in pain, which I forced myself to ignore as I stood up. "Since you lost, tell me where Dex is hiding."

"Right... like you beat me." Aoi says. It was obvious she was having trouble speaking. The bullet probably pierced one of her lungs. "How about this... I'll tell you were your guns are... if you kill whoever shot me, and admit... I played you."

"Oh, you definitely played me." _She's one of the few people I trusted after the incident with the Morning Star._ "I actually thought you were gonna treat me to heaven." I joked. "But seriously, whoever's responsible for this is dead."

Aoi only shook her head before silently raising her hand and pointing to the TV. "Liars. Both you and De-" As I got to the TV and grab my guns from behind it, Aoi's voice fades. _She can't talk anymore._ I thought to myself. I quickly check my guns and walk back to the door, not even bothering to look at Aoi. The blade Aoi left sticking out of the door was dripping blood. More than any of the light scratches I received could produce. Planning to administer as much pain as possible I whip the door open, tearing the sword from whatever was on the other end of it. I hear a gasp and a shout as a woman's body falls to the floor below me.

_You!?_ I thought looking down to the coughing body. It was the woman I had spoken to last night, panting and grasping her neck. She'd been chocked. Looking up I see an eye, at the tip of The Ronin Queen's blade. "Who are you?" A man asks covering his left eye, or at least where it should've been. He looked like a member of one of the biker gangs I've seen around. _The Chain Sinners or some shit._ I recall looking at his leather jacket and bloody fingerless glove. I chuckled slightly and darklly as the blood poured between his fingers. Suddenly his right hand goes to my throat, stopping my laugh as he yells. "I said who the fuck are you!? Was this your sword!?" Ignoring him I look down, seeing an empty GDHC .50 just below him._ So you killed her._

Staring him in his eye, I raise my gun to his wrist and pull the trigger. The gun discharges and I feel the grip around my throat tighten shortly before letting go completely. "I'll kill you!" I hear him scream as he looks at his hand, now dangling by stands of skin and tendons.

"How?" I ask, putting my right Sheaperd to his chest. I pull the trigger causing him to fall backwards against the hallway wall. A pain rushed up my arm, probably due to his bullet grazing me earlier. It hurt, but not enough to be serious, just annoying.

"You killed him?" The woman asks from the floor. She crawls back, away from the body, stopping only after hitting Aoi's corpse. The woman gasped.

I walk towards the man. For a moment I stare at his chest watching the blood pour out of his jacket. "Yeah," I said, kicking his boot and watching his limp leg fall back into place. "He killed her so..."

"There's going to be more, you know?" The woman says crying slightly. "They're already in the hotel looking for me. Now they'll be after you." She stands and takes a look at Aoi, the man then me. "You can't kill all of them."

I sigh looking at the body. "I don't appreciate that kind of negativity." I reply turning to her and handing her one of my guns. "You know how to shoot?" The woman shakes her head. _Great..._

* * *

**Saints, Mercs, Saints again, Deckers, ninja girls and now Bikers. This has to be one of the most diverse Gangsta resumes you've ever seen.**


	8. Sins Never Stop

**Chapter 7: The Sins Never Stop**

The woman seemed hesitant to take the gun, but she says she hasn't killed anyone yet so that's to be expected. "Come on. Can you think of a better time to learn how to shoot?" I plead. The woman looks to Aoi one final time then back to me. "...Don't ask." I order.

She seems to open her mouth to say something before we hear the ding of an elevator. At that point she basically snatches the gun from my hand. _Good, saves me some pain._ I thought, sneaking back into the room before the elevator doors open. Closing the door I proceed to pull the blade from the door. "...When you were on the phone you said Kinzie, right?" The woman asks. I nod and she gets to her point. "If you're a Saint you have a crew, don't you? Call them."

"Yeah..." I say, in a whisper. I hear people coming down the hall to investigate the body. "Some shit went down and no one's down to roll with me." _I could probably call Nero, but the situation's not exactly easy to explain. Besides..._ I look to Aoi again, feeling my heart skip a beat. _I rather not deal with anyone right now._

"So... we're fucked?" She asks.

"Will you relax? You don't know who you're fighting with."

"You're right I don't know!" She shouts. "Who are you that the other Saints h-" I put my hand over her mouth. I quiet her before looking out of the hole made by Aoi's sword. The first thing I saw was a large body try to stealthily get to the side of the door. _Fuck, they definitely heard us._ Taking my hand from her mouth I direct her to raise my/her gun to a position on the door, while I do the same._ They're gonna shoot through the door. We just have to shoot first._ After doing a silent countdown of three with my fingers we both shoot through. As the gunshots sound, the woman yelps and drops my gun due to the recoil.

"Shit!" One of the men outside yell. "Listen bitch, you can't stop the Chain Sinners. We'll kill everyone in this hotel if we have to!" _Idiot._ Following the sound of his voice I shoot again. He stops talking and I hear something heavy drop. That sound is followed by the sucking of teeth and the cocking of a gun.

"You know what lady, you've got balls." A gravelly voice says, a smile evident in the tone. "I thought the person who had one of mine killed would be some weak-fuck." Finding his voice I tried to shoot again but was stopped by a buckshot flying through the door. The woman screams, putting her hands atop her head for cover. "There's no use screaming now. You already killed two of my boys. We know you ain't scared so now we have to put fear in ya." He threatens firing again. My temporary partner scrambles for the gun, almost dropping it again in her rush. The shots are get closer to us, making even myself a bit nervous. For a second, I thought about looking through the new holes in the door before realizing he was just waiting for the chance to shoot through them.

I had no choice but to wait and let him talk. "Now you know who I am. The man who called you a while back, telling what I was going to do to you when I found you." He laughs. "What name did I use again? Alex, Red, Price, I've got so many it's hard to remember." He shoots once again, this time blasting the electric lock of the door. _Oh fuck!_ Grabbing the woman's hand I run to the side of the room, near the bed. We sat there, her putting her back to my own and holding her knees. "Oh now I remember, it was my first name Jack." I felt the woman shiver against me as he said the name. "When I found out some little whore got Clovis I knew I had to be Jack the Ripper."

"I didn't know." The woman sobs. "I didn't know, they'd have him killed. I thought they'd talk to h-" The door creeks open, practically falling off as a result of the damage done this morning.

"Either way, It's your fault he's dead. I was gonna make it quick but you've killed three of my gang now, so we're gonna beat you 'till we're satisfied. Then we're gonna chain you to Clovis' shop. That way everyone can see my kinda body work."

I sigh, standing from alongside their target. "Yeah... I can't let you do that. If I let some chick get killed for my murders I'd get nightmares."

The man steps around the wall looking at the woman, me then Aoi's corpse. "And who are you?"

"I've been questioned a lot this morning." I claim. "The name's Damian Voleur. I'm probably gonna kill you and any of your gang who comes at me so sorry, I guess. Not really."

The man laughs heartily. "You know what, kid? I'll let you decide if this bitch is worth throwing your life away." 'Jack' seemed to be in his late thirties, wearing basically the same outfit you'd expect from a biker. Well, that and a bit of Death Metal if you include the chain and shoulder spikes.

I take a look at the woman, still sitting on the floor behind me she looks up. "Eh, I've thrown my life away for worse." I answer with a shrug. She nods and stands pointing my gun at the man. For a split second fear can be read across Jack's face before being replaced by anger.

He takes a look at the woman's shaking hand and begins a dark laugh. "What? You shot those guys and expect me to shit myself because she's gotta gun?" He continues to laugh for a moment then raises his Tombstone toward me. "That's hilarious we both know you're the only threat not this ho-"

"My name's Jacqueline Hill." She states, forcing the fear out of her voice. The gun steadies in her hands. "Call me anything else and I'll let you burn with Clovis."

"Please try me. Jacquie." He challenges, turning his aim from me to Jacqueline. Assuming that Jack would shoot before her I pull my gun in a quick-draw manner, immediately firing once at his stomach. The man barely seems to feel the impact of the bullet and turns his weapon back to me. "You're fuckin' dead." I hear a few blasts from the pistol in Jacqueline's hand followed by the sound of a shot from the Tombstone. As the rounds of my Shepherd make impact, he stumbles back causing the buckshot to miss me entirely. Turning to look behind me I see a hole in the wall where a picture of a pure blue ocean used to hang. _Better the painting than me._

I turn back to Jack just to see him drop to the floor. As blood leaks from his mouth and bullet wounds,I try fruitlessly to smile._ Fuck, this is gonna be a long day._ Jacqueline drops to her knees. "Thanks."

"Don't thank me. If I didn't avenge her I'd feel like I was wrong." I reply.

"Fine, it doesn't matter. Can I borrow this gun for a bit longer?"  
She asks. I nod and she continues. "I'll take care of the rest. I know you said don't ask... but who was she?"

I didn't know how to respond. I could say she was Ronin, I could say I didn't know but neither of those would help._ Fine._ "Just some girl I loved. Clovis?"

"Same." Jacqueline answers. The sounds of a SMG ring out through the hall. I hear Jacqueline gulp in fear as she steps forward. _Does she really plan on fighting on her own._

I hear a crack followed by a friendly voice. "Fuckin' Sinners, a name like that you'd think you wanted the Saints to kill you. Yo D, you here!?"

"Nero?" I ask, surprised that the first people here weren't the cops. "Yeah, I'm in here." Cruz walks into the room, stumbling slightly over the door. He takes a look around the room. I take now as the time to answer. "The bikers are her deal."

"And the ex-Ronin's your's?"

"How'd you know she was Ronin?"

"What do you think? Kinzie or the sword on the floor?" Cruz jokes. "Or was it the Torch across the street." _Oh, that._ I thought, walking to bedside table near the window. Finding Aoi's shining keys. There was a picture of the two of us in front of Purgatory. We had just been kicked out after I started a fight with some asshole, one of our first dates.

After jumping over the bed I unclip the small yellow frame from the other keys. "Never thought you were a romantic." I whisper dropping the picture over her body. Who cares if the police would find it, as a banger I have no fear of killing cops. I toss the other keys to Cruz. "You want a new car?"

"Already got a Torch." He says, handing the keys to Jacqueline.

"Thanks Nero." She says before nodding to me.

"No problem, Jacquie. You tell Z you'd be with us for a while?" Cruz asks. _What, these two know each other? Then why wasn't he goin' though these bikers for me._

Jacqueline's eyes widen. "Wait... This is the guy? When you said he was," she begins before using air-quotes. "'A natural-born killer' I was expecting somebody like the Boss or even the legendary Gat. Not this guy, no offense."

_No offense?_ "If that's how you feel, gimme back my gun." Taking my words seriously Jacqueline tosses the gun to me. I catch it and make a quick realization. _It's light?_ This meant not only did she unload on her first kill, but that if she was serious about 'taking care of the rest' she would have gotten herself killed. _So when Cruz was naming possible recruits for us, was she the crazy one or the one that'd kill us._

"Get over it D. What I meant was we survived a ton of shit. Back home this guy killed about thirty guys with two NR4, just to save his girl."

A surprised expression moves across Jacqueline. "What a gentlemen."

"I prefer the term Knight." I answer in a boasting tone.

Cruz chuckles slightly at my reply. "I can fuck with you on that one," Cruz claims. "But bein' a Saint ain't so bad either." _I bet she'd disagree._ I almost look at Aoi's body again before reaching the conclusion that being here wasn't a great idea.

"Look you guys do... Whatever it is you do, I've got somethin' to take care of." I lie. Both Cruz and Jacqueline give me an unsure look as they step to the side allowing me to leave the room. Before turning down the hall I offer Jacqueline a word of advice. "If this really was your first time killing someone you shouldn't think about it too much. It usually fucks people's heads up." I don't care to see if she'll take my advice seriously, I only wanted to get away from this place.

* * *

After leaving the hotel I got another call from Kinzie. Then a text from Pierce about another job, something about a hero. I left both unanswered as I headed to Saints HQ. This time I didn't mind walking since it's basically a straight line getting there. There was no doubt that I'd needed time to get over this anyway.

Once I finally make it to the place, I take the elevator up. The place seemed pretty empty and I checked the time. It was about two so I felt like at least someone should be here. I look around the penthouse further. There were a few closed doors that I didn't care to explore. Besides that there was no one was around, not even that tiger. Getting another call I check the ID. 'Connor' I quickly accept the call and raise the phone. "I'm gonna fucking murder you." I answer.

"Ooh, no smart-ass joke? Guess she actually did it. So what happened, you kill her?" Connor asks. "Then you ran off to your Bosses place?" He laughs to spite me. "If you did kill her that's fine. She dealt with her other job already."

I growl angrily. "What did you make her do?"

I hear him laugh again on the other end. "I forgot you don't watch the news."

"Fuck you, Connor! I will dig Maero up and impale you with his bones if you don't tell me what the fuck she did!" Following my shouts, I hear a door creak open somewhere above me. I didn't have time to care about that.

"Why didn't you tell me and Dex you had a sister?" He answers. I could her the venom in his voice, but I couldn't tell if it was a threat or him bragging about something already done.

Refusing to give him the chance to laugh again, I make another threat. "I'm gonna get my sister and if I see anything about her's different, there won't be enough of you to fill the ashtray of your Compensator."

"You gonna fail that like Dex's jobs?" Connor jokes. "Dex wants to meet you by the way."

I pause this time knowing it's a trap. "...Where?"_ I've gotta get Deja back and this might be my chance to find Dex._

He laughs again. "Damn, I bet that Ex-Decker, that you wouldn't care. Anyway, go to that house you've been stayin' at, tonight. You know the drill." _How the fuck do they know where I live? How the fuck did they know where my sister lived!?_ Without answering again, I end the call. On my way back to the elevator, I grab a random set of keys before going to the garage. Whether or not the owner of the car gets upset doesn't matter.

* * *

There were a lot of cars in the garage when I got there. With no time to test every car I press the alarm button of the remote quickly finding an all purple Sovereign. Once the engine starts opera music blares through the speakers. Knowing that I needed to calm down I start driving, changing the station to any channel playing normal music.

As I hit the highway I catch the end of the sound of famous, news anchor, Jane Valderama. "-investigation at a local hotel. In other news, after an assault on a hospital just outside of Steelport, police are still searching for a hostage taken during the attack." Valderama began in her usually news anchor voice. "My investigation has told me one of the culprits was an ex-member of the Ronin, one of the many disbanded gangs that terrorized Stilwater years ago. Those that survived the encounter name her only as The Ronin Queen."_ You've gotta be fucking kidding me._ "Our prayers go out to the family of the victim."

"This has been Jane Valderama with your Steelport Update." The news theme closes and Agustus ThElefant's When the Smoke Clears follows.

"Aoi, what the fuck?" I ask. _After everything we've done together, she kidnaps my sister? Then tries to kill me?_ My grip tightens around the steering wheel and I push the petal further. I was enraged, it felt like my body was going to burst into flames. In the back of my mind I knew that my being so angry would cause me to mess up so I started taking in the music to calm myself.

**_He's a shogun, assassin, a cold blood killer_**  
**_that knows no love, still there no one inner,_**

**_Bitter pain of a broke man,_**  
**_soaking into your vain,_**  
**_like a skitzo I spit so sick that it rain._**

**_When the smoke clears there'll be no more tears,  
when the smoke clears baby no more tears.  
This man don't cry cuz he's Afro Samurai..._**

**_When the smoke clears there'll be no more tears,  
when the smoke clears baby no more tears.  
I said this man don't cry cuz he's Afro Samurai..._**

Just as the song ends I reach the house. Leaving the car in the middle of the road I head to the house. Upon opening the door I catch the distinct smell of gas. I didn't care about that, there's only one reason I'm here. "I'm here, where's my sister!?" I yell through a shaking voice.

_Why act so nervous, I know the drill._ Trying to relax, I go over the way we did this before it all went wrong in my head. Still moving slowly through the house. _Step one: Snatch a person of the streets. Then order a loved one to show up somewhere they know, making them feel like they're in control. Make sure they come alone and unarmed, also insist the police aren't notified. Step two Next make insane demands and when the say it can't be done, show them proof that their loved one's life is in your hands. If they truly can't deliver your demand go to Step Three: let them offer you something then make a reasonable compromise between the two._ As I continue through the house I remember that those rules always seemed to work. Best of all, by the time the victim was confidently able to call the police we'd already gotten away with it. I hear a noise from the back of the house and quicken my pace. "Dex? Connor?" They can't possibly think I'd fall for the same thing so I wondered what the negotiations would be like.

Seeing a bit of white in the dark of the forest behind the house I end up stepping out the back door. "Glad to see you made it." _Dex._ He was standing in the shadows but it didn't matter. His voice was still the same, that of a banger turned businessmen. My fists tighten and I take a step forward, quickly finding the cold steel of a pistol forced against my temple.

"Glad to see this guy's still wipin' your ass." I snarl. I could guess who it was._ Connor._ He takes the gun away from me then grabs the hem of my shirt and throws me to the ground. In anger I try to stand and fight him finding his .44 Shepherd in my face before I could stand.

Now wearing a white t-shirt with a black 'X' printed across the front. He shows a toothy grin and laughs. "You wanna say that again?" Though I could taunt him further I decide against it. I couldn't afford to die yet since they still have my sister. Instead I just remain silent. I can see a shadowy figure nod to Connor before hearing him suck his teeth. "Next time." He spits taking the gun off me.

"I'm glad to see you're serious about this Mr. Voluer." Dex begins as Connor walks over to him, allowing me to see the Brotherhood flag on his back.

_You kidnapped my sister from her job then had my girlfriend try to kill me, how the fuck could I not be serious?_ "What's with the surname shit?"

Dex clears his throat. "I don't want you to misunderstand. Despite our past… disagreements, this is strictly business."

"Speaking of your business," I begin. "How's it going. With me 'leaving' and Aoi dying, you must be goin' through tough times, especially since we were the best."

"It's the exact opposite actually. G4ng 34ter's worth more than the two of you combined." My eyes narrow, not only in anger, but in attempt to see Dex. He was doing a good job of staying in the shadows, literally. "I knew you were stronger than Aoi, just like I knew your boss was stronger than you. Unlike with the Saints, the result from your fight with Aoi didn't matter." I'm not sure if he's taunting me or if he's just an asshole. I look to Connor, still standing in plain sight and he scowls at me.

"Think again. That nerd might make cash but he's not the muscle, I am." Connor claims, defending his position.

I sigh, "So what do you need me for?"

* * *

**Why do I always get wrapped up in bad situations? There's so much shit going on in D's life, maybe he should've let the Boss kill him...**


End file.
